title: Detection of clonal Epstein-Barr virus in malignant proliferation of peripheral blood CD3+ CD8+ T cells.
abstract: Epstein Barr virus (EBV) DNA was detected in a monoclonal proliferation of T cells in a three-year-old girl who presented with a history of fever, hepatosplenomegaly, and generalised lymphadenopathy. The disease ran a rapid, fulminant course and the patient died 11 days after presentation. Examination of the blood showed a lymphocytosis of 50 x 10(9)/l with all the cells showing the morphology of large granular lymphocytes. These cells were CD2+3+8+25+. Cytogenetic studies showed the presence of a 6q- clone. Southern blotting and hybridisation with a constant region probe for the T-cell receptor (TCR) beta chain gene showed clonal rearrangement of the TCR beta gene. Hybridisation of the Southern blot to the EBV XhoI probe revealed a clonal pattern of episomal EBV DNA. Our results establish the association between clonal EBV infection to a malignant proliferation of peripheral blood CD8+ T cells.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Section, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pittaluga
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004279:DNA, Viral; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell