High incidence of EBV genome in CD30-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
In Hodgkin's disease, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is found in CD30-positive Reed-Sternberg cells. We therefore studied 60 CD30-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) for the presence of EBV by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA in situ hybridization (DISH), and by immunohistochemistry for the latent EBV proteins LMP and EBNA-2. CD30-negative NHLs and reactive lymph nodes served as controls. The CD30-positive cases comprised 17 anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCLs) (> 75 per cent CD30-positive cells) and 43 non-ALCLs (with 5-35 per cent CD30-positive cells). By PCR, 40 of 60 CD30-positive NHLs (67 per cent) were EBV-positive; in CD30-negative cases, 6/29 (21 per cent) were EBV-positive, as were 12/50 (24 per cent) reactive lymph nodes. The DISH procedure demonstrated the EBV genome exclusively in the nuclei of tumour cells in 23 of the 37 PCR EBV-positive cases that were tested. PCR-negative cases were always DISH-negative, as were the PCR-positive reactive lymph nodes and CD30-negative NHLs. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated LMP in neoplastic cells of 7/47 (15 per cent) CD30-positive NHLs, both ALCL and non-ALCL always in PCR EBV-positive cases, but never in the two control groups. EBNA-2 staining could not be detected. It is concluded that EBV is present (and transcriptionally active) in a sizeable number of NHLs and an association between the presence of the EBV genome and CD30 expression seems likely.
Kanavaros
P
P
Department of Pathology, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Jiwa
N M
NM
de Bruin
P C
PC
van der Valk
P
P
Noorduyn
L A
LA
van Heerde
P
P
Gordijn
R
R
Horstman
A
A
Mullink
R
R
Willemze
R
R
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins