[Epstein-Barr, hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections and their oncogenic potentials]

There are two ways of connecting Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with the uncontrolled growth of EBV infected B lymphocytes: in case of evident immunosuppression when the control by cellular immunity is missing or in the case of pathological growth of malignant clone as a result of genetic translocations. Today, EBV is linked with the development of lymphomas in immunosuppressed patients, Hodgkin's and Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The presence of EBV genome in these patients can be confirmed in malignant cells, in lower or higher percent, as well as the high titers of antibodies against specific virus antigens. Hepatitis B viral infection (HBVI) of specific chronic course and associated with intensified inflammation and mitotic activity is of one of the most important factors in the appearance of hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the integration of viral DNA in DNA of hepatocytes has been one of the possible preconditions for carcinogenesis, recently a great attention has been paid to the inactivation of p53 suppressor gene, being a transcriptive transactivator. Other possible cofactors of carcinogenesis imply long-lasting viral replication, coinfection with HVB, HCV or HDV, interaction with other chemical carcinogens (hormones, aflatoxin, alcohol and similar). In distinction from other human DNA viruses, Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a RNA virus which is not integrated in genome of hepatocyte and active replication of virus is maintained even when hepatocellular carcinoma is detected. It has been assumed that HCV inactivate or mutate the gene of tumor suppression p53 in an early stage of hepatocellular carcinoma development.