Increased number of Epstein-Barr virus latently infected B-cells in T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma tissues.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a causative agent of malignant lymphomas occurring in immunocompromised hosts. Similar lymphoid tumors can be induced in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID mice) by transplanting human B-cells with latently infected EBV. We have previously observed that when apparently EBV-negative lymphomas were engrafted into SCID mice, 11 of 18 T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) produced EBV associated lymphomas, but only 2 of 30 engrafted with B-NHLs. Previous studies suggested that EBV-infected cell inducing lymphomas in SCID mice may preferentially exist in T-cell NHL tissues. To prove this assumption, in situ hybridization (ISH) using oligonucleotide probes for EBV-encoded small RNAs 1 (EBER1) was used in this study to demonstrate EBV-bearing lymphocytes in NHL tissues. It was found that EBV-bearing cells existe in 9 of the 10 T-cell NHL surgical specimens. By contrast, in B cell NHLs, only 2 of 10 carried EBV-bearing cells. Further semi-quantitative analysis demonstrated that apparently significantly more EBV-bearing cells were present in T-cell NHL tissues than in B-cell NHLs. Moreover, these EBV-bearing cells in lymphoma tissues were shown to be of B-cell lineage, by the combinated analysis of immunostaining with CD20 and ISH with EBER1. These results indicated the increase of EBV-bearing B-cells in T-cell NHL tissues, suggesting the activation of B-cells with latently infected EBV by neoplastic T-cells.
Hojo
I
I
Department of Pathology, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Takanashi
M
M
Hirai
K
K
Mori
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000821:virology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000821:virology*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins