Considering the role of EBV lytic cycle in tumor progression,22 we next investigated the potential activation of KDM5B during EBV lytic replication, through treating EBV-positive cell lines with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA) and sodium butyrate (NaB), reagents known to induce EBV lytic reactivation.23 RT-qPCR confirmed an increase in lytic gene expression (BZLF1, BRLF1, BMRF1, and BcLF1) in EBV-positive NPC and GC cells treated with TPA and NaB compared to control group (Fig. 3a and Supplementary Fig. 2a). Here, TSN is linked to neoplasm.