Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41896559›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

High-risk EBV promotes immune evasion in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by upregulating HLA-DP via the encoded BALF2-HR variant.

Yi Meng, Qian Wang, Lei Shi, Qijia Yan, Qianqian He, Pinglang Ruan, Ziwei Chen, Dan Wang, Hongke Qu, Pan Chen and 10 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Yi Meng *NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Qian Wang *NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Lei Shi *Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Qijia YanKey Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Qianqian HeNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Pinglang RuanNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Ziwei ChenNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Dan WangKey Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Hongke QuKey Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Pan ChenNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Zhaojian GongDepartment of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7501-3613
Fuyan WangNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Bo XiangNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2641-5434
Ming ZhouNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Ming TanKey Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2007-9898
Guiyuan LiNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Can GuoNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7414-2050
Zhaoyang ZengNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. zengzhaoyang@csu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0648-0565
Junshang GeNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. gejunshang@csu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-6116-7985
Wei XiongNHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Hunan Key Laboratory of Cancer Metabolism, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. xiongwei@csu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1635-8173

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82472711, U21A20382 to W.X. and 82472789 to Z.Y.Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is prevalent in East and Southeast Asia, with genetic factors playing a significant role in its occurrence. The HLA gene region on chromosome 6 is linked to NPC susceptibility, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is a well-established cause, with 95% of NPC patients being EBV-positive. Three key variations in the EBV genome (162215_C, 162476_C, 163364_T) in the BALF2 gene are strongly associated with NPC risk. This study finds that the high-risk BALF2 variant (BALF2-HR) upregulates HLA class II molecules, such as HLA-DP, which interacts with LAG-3 on CD8⁺ T cells, inhibiting cytokine secretion and promoting T cell exhaustion, leading to immune evasion and reduced anti-PD-1 efficacy. BALF2-HR also enhances HLA-DP transcription by binding to KPNA2 and facilitating CIITA nuclear translocation. Conjunctive immunotherapy with anti-LAG-3 and anti-PD-1 antibodies significantly improves NPC treatment. This work introduces a new therapeutic strategy for NPC and insights into infection-associated cancers.

Indexed as

DNA-Binding ProteinsEpstein-Barr Virus InfectionsHerpesvirus 4, HumanImmune EvasionNasopharyngeal CarcinomaNasopharyngeal NeoplasmsViral ProteinsAntigens, CDCD8-Positive T-LymphocytesCell Line, TumorHumansLymphocyte Activation Gene 3 ProteinT-Cell ExhaustionUp-RegulationViral Matrix ProteinsAntigens, CDBNLF21 protein, human herpesvirus 4DNA-Binding ProteinsLymphocyte Activation Gene 3 ProteinViral Matrix ProteinsViral Proteins

Identifiers

PMID41896559
PMCPMC13201644

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.