Modified Anoikis Assay That Functionally Segregates Epstein-Barr Virus LMP1 Strains into Two Groups

LMP1 is one of the most divergent sequences in the EBV genome and phylogenetically segregates into seven LMP1 strains. The LMP1 strains differ in geographical distribution and NPC tumor prevalence, but the molecular basis for this potential selection is not clear. While there are signaling motifs conserved in all LMP1 sequences from circulating EBV isolates, phylogenetic studies of NPC also suggest that there may be sequence selection for tumor-associated LMP1 strains and polymorphisms. The present study describes a modified anoikis assay that can distinguish LMP1 strains into two groups by biological properties. The pleiotropic LMP1 signaling properties and sequence diversity may offer a unique opportunity to illuminate the complex mechanisms of metastasis. Although the host genomic landscape is variable between NPC tumors, the present functional-mapping studies on LMP1 support the notion that viral proteins could serve as molecular tool kits and potentially reveal sequence-associated risk factors in NPC metastatic progression.