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Updated: Jun 20, 2026
Using a Pan-Viral Microarray Assay (Virochip) to Screen Clinical Samples for Viral Pathogens
Published on: April 27, 2011
[Preparation and application of Epstein-Barr virus genome-wide genechip]
Wei-yi Fang1, Wen-ling Zheng, Wen-li Ma
1Cancer Research Institute, Key Lab for Transcriptomics and Proteomics of Human Fatal Diseases supported by Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. fangweiyi1975@yahoo.com.cn
Objective:
To prepare an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) microarray using known and predicted EBV-coded genes as the cDNA probes to detect the EBV gene expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues.
Methods:
The EBV gene probes were amplified by PCR using a pair of primers designed in both sides of the multiple clone site (MCS) of the T/A vector. After purification of the PCR products, 85 EBV genes and 8000 human genes were printed onto the same slide as the detection chip consisting of both EBV and human genes. This genechip was used to detect the differential gene expression in NPC and non-cancerous nasopharynx (NP) tissues.
Results:
Detection of the human gene expression profile using the prepared genechip resulted in the identification of numerous human genes in the tissue specimens. Some EBV genes were also detected in the tissues using the genechip, but the signals of the genes appeared rather weak without distinctly visible fluorescence, and were not comparable to the strong signal intensities of the human genes.
Conclusion:
The EBV microarray, though constructed successfully, can not meet the needs for clinical application due to the limited detection sensitivity and the relative small quantity of EBV gene expression in NPC samples. Further improvements of the research methods are warranted.
