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.
Anagnostopoulos
I
I
Institute of Pathology, Klinikum Steglitz, Free University of Berlin, Germany.
Hummel
M
M
Tiemann
M
M
Korbjuhn
P
P
Parwaresch
M R
MR
Stein
H
H
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