Ubiquitin–Proteasome System Dysregulation in Epstein–Barr Virus-Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Associated Codes and Analysis

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is characterized by extensive immune infiltration, yet immune evasion remains a hallmark of the disease. This study integrates meta-analysis of bulk transcriptomic datasets with single-cell RNA sequencing data to elucidate EBV–host gene interactions, with a focus on the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS). Differentially expressed genes in NPC were identified from publicly available datasets and cross-referenced with EBV–human protein–protein interaction data to construct an interaction network. Network and enrichment analyses revealed that UPS-related genes are significantly dysregulated in EBV-associated NPC, correlating with immune evasion pathways, stemness features, and reduced proliferative signaling in UPS-high tumor cells. Single-cell mapping demonstrated that UPS activity defines distinct tumor cell phenotypes with potential prognostic implications. These findings highlight UPS dysregulation as a potential therapeutic target in EBV-associated NPC, warranting in vivo validation.