Fatal Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with persistent Epstein-Barr virus in four brothers.
Three brothers from one family died of Hodgkin disease and a fourth brother from a diffuse malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This patient exhibited a constant deficiency of serum immunoglobulins and elevated antibody titers to Epstein-Barr viral antigens. Epstein-Barr virus DNA sequences were detected in DNA isolated from lymph node biopsies from two of the patients. Initially, no abnormalities in the numbers of B and T cells could be detected. Peripheral blood lymphocytes of the patients did not react in the mixed lymphocyte culture assay. We suggest that an immune deficiency to Epstein-Barr virus may favor the proliferation of malignant lymphocytes after Epstein-Barr viral infection. Monoclonal lymphoid B cell lines established spontaneously in vitro from a lymph node biopsy specimen and from peripheral blood specimens from two of the patients. The cells harbor Epstein-Barr viral DNA sequences in multiple genome equivalents and express Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen. The cells contain a tenfold increased level of c-fgr-related RNA transcripts compared with peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy adults. No obvious amplifications or translocations of the c-myc, c-abl, or c-fgr gene could be detected.
Donhuijsen-Ant
R
R
St. Johannes-Hospital, Duisburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Abken
H
H
Bornkamm
G
G
Donhuijsen
K
K
Grosse-Wilde
H
H
Neumann-Haefelin
D
D
Westerhausen
M
M
Wiegand
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002460:Cell Line; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009857:Oncogenes; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral