Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA sequences in bone marrow of children with leukemia.
To investigate the possibility that hemopoietic cells may become infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), viral DNA was studied by molecular hybridization in bone marrow aspirates of 51 children with leukemia. HBV-DNA was found in the bone marrow of eight children (15%) and Southern blot analysis revealed the presence of free, monomeric viral sequences. Only one of the eight children with HBV-DNA in bone marrow cells was HBsAg-positive in serum, whereas two additional patients were transiently HBsAg-positive in serum during follow-up, but were negative at the time HBV-DNA was found in bone marrow. Four other cases developed antibodies to HBV. Cases of myeloid leukemia were more frequently positive for HBV-DNA in bone marrow (55%), compared with cases of lymphoid leukemia (7%). These results indicate that hemopoietic cells are susceptible to infection with hepatitis B virus and stimulate new interest into the relation of HBV infection to the development of some forms of leukemia, as four of eight cases of myeloid leukemia were HBV-DNA positive in bone marrow aspirates at diagnosis, prior to receiving any transfusion therapy.
Pontisso
P
P
Locasciulli
A
A
Schiavon
E
E
Cattoretti
G
G
Schirò
R
R
Stenico
D
D
Alberti
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D001483:Base Sequence; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization
D004279:DNA, Viral