Frequent presence of latent Epstein-Barr virus infection in lymphoepithelioid cell lymphoma (Lennert's lymphoma).
This study deals with the investigation of the biological significance of an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in lymphoepithelioid cell lymphoma. A selection of EBV-detection techniques was applied to 15 cases, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of EBV-DNA, in situ hybridization (ISH) for the cellular localization of EBV-encoded small nuclear (EBER 1 and EBER 2) and immediate-early (BHLF) RNAs, and immunohistology for the detection of EBV-encoded latent membrane protein (LMP) expression. PCR and EBER-ISH produced congruent results in those cases with amplifiable DNA, leading to an EBV presence in 11/15 lymphoepithelioid cell lymphoma cases (73%). EBER-ISH combined with immunohistology localized the virus predominantly in several B immunoblasts and small B lymphocytes in eight of the EBV-positive cases, five of which also contained single infected lymphocytes expressing T-cell characteristic antigens. LMP was detected using immunohistology in only a proportion of immunoblasts in four of these cases. The remaining three EBV-positive lymphoepithelioid cell lymphoma cases contained only single EBER-positive small B lymphocytes without LMP expression. No case contained BHLF-RNA expressing cells. These data imply that, although latently EBV-infected cells are frequently present in lymphoepithelioid cell lymphoma cases, the virus is probably not directly involved in the pathogenesis of this entity.
Institute of Pathology, Klinikum Steglitz, Free University of Berlin, Germany.
I
I
Anagnostopoulos
M
M
Hummel
M
M
Tiemann
P
P
Korbjuhn
M R
MR
Parwaresch
H
H
Stein
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004279:DNA, Viral; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins