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. 2018 Feb:52:70-74.
doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2017.12.004. Epub 2017 Dec 14.

Plasma magnesium is inversely associated with Epstein-Barr virus load in peripheral blood and Burkitt lymphoma in Uganda

Juan Ravell  1 , Isaac Otim  2 , Hadijah Nabalende  2 , Ismail D Legason  2 , Steven J Reynolds  3 , Martin D Ogwang  2 , Christopher M Ndugwa  4 , Vickie Marshall  5 , Denise Whitby  5 , James J Goedert  6 , Eric A Engels  6 , Kishor Bhatia  6 , Michael J Lenardo  7 , Sam M Mbulaiteye  8
Affiliations

Plasma magnesium is inversely associated with Epstein-Barr virus load in peripheral blood and Burkitt lymphoma in Uganda

Juan Ravell et al. Cancer Epidemiol. 2018 Feb.

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL). EBV control was improved by magnesium (Mg2+) supplementation in XMEN, an X-linked genetic disease associated with Mg2+ deficiency, high circulating EBV levels (viral loads), and EBV-related lymphomas. We, therefore, investigated the relationship between Mg2+ levels and EBV levels and eBL in Uganda.

Methods: Plasma Mg2+ was measured in 45 women with low or high circulating EBV levels, 40 pediatric eBL cases, and 79 healthy children. Mg2+ uptake by T-lymphocytes was evaluated in samples from healthy donors.

Results: Plasma Mg2+ deficiency (plasma level <1.8 mg/dl) was more likely in women with high- vs. low-EBV levels (76.0% vs. 35%; odds ratio [OR] 11.3, 95% CI 2.14-60.2), controlling for age, and in eBL cases than controls (42.0% vs. 13.9%; OR 3.61, 95% CI 1.32-9.88), controlling for sex, age group, and malaria status. Mg2+ uptake by T-lymphocytes was related to extracellular Mg2+ concentration.

Interpretation: Plasma Mg2+ deficiency is associated with high EBV levels and eBL.

Keywords: Africa; Burkitt lymphoma; Epidemiology; Epstein-Barr virus; Magnesium; XMEN.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

None declared

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Plasma magnesium levels in women, with high or low EBV levels in blood and children with or without BL
Panel A: Dot plot showing average plasma Mg2+ levels (mg/dl) in women with low (lower-quartile) vs. high (upper-quartile) EBV viral load. Each dot is a single subject. Panel B: Dot plot showing plasma Mg2+ levels (mg/dl) in children with and without BL in Uganda. Each dot represents a single subject. A reference line for Mg2+ deficiency (<1.8 mg/dl) is includedin both panels. Lines show the 5%, 50% and 95% percentiles.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Extracellular Mg2+ concentration influences the free intracellular Mg2+ content in T lymphocytes
Intracellular magnesium concentration in response to the addition of extracellular magnesium chloride (MgCl2) was measured by flow cytometry using the fluorescent radiometric magnesium indicator Mag-Indo1 in T cells from healthy controls. Arrows correspond to the time of addition of MgCl2. Extracellular MgCl2 concentration for each condition is shown above each graph.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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