title: Distribution and phenotype of Epstein-Barr virus-harboring cells in Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: Distribution and phenotype of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-harboring cells were determined in Hodgkin's disease (HD) biopsies by in situ hybridization with [35S]-labeled RNA probes specific for the small EBV-encoded nuclear RNAs, EBER1 and EBER2, in some instances preceded by immunohistology for CD20, CD30, CD45RO, and CD68 antigens, the T-cell receptor beta-chain, and latent membrane antigen (LMP) of EBV. Twenty-three of 46 HD cases displayed EBER transcripts in all Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (H-RS) cells, and 18 of these cases showed LMP expression exclusively in neoplastic cells. EBER+ small reactive cells were present in 39 cases in low numbers, and in three cases in abundance. Thus, presence of H-RS cells with or without LMP expression was not accompanied by an unrestricted proliferation of reactive EBER+/LMP- lymphoid cells in the majority of HD patients. Simultaneous in situ hybridization with [35S]-labeled immunoglobulin light chain (IgLC) gene probes and nonisotopically labeled EBER probe showed a phenotype of mature B lymphocytes and a polyclonal composition for a large proportion of the EBER+ small cells. However, in contrast to noninfected cells, CD20 expression was not detectable in many of these cells, which may indicate downregulation of certain differentiation antigens in latently EBV-infected small lymphoid cells in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Klinikum Steglitz, Free University of Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Herbst
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Steinbrecher
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Niedobitek
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Müller-Lantzsch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015347:RNA Probes; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D016539:Reed-Sternberg Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D011506:Proteins; D015347:RNA Probes; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; C067169:RPL22 protein, human