Viruses and Langerhans cell histiocytosis: is there a link?
As a rare, sporadic disease Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) presents a difficult problem in defining a likely etiology. Epidemiological data would not a priori lead one to choose a viral etiology. However, there are rare tumours which occur as sequelae of common infections from Epstein-Barr virus or human papilloma viruses. Likewise some viruses can cause cells to elaborate cytokines which could ultimately stimulate Langerhans cell growth. There is only a small amount of experimental data testing the hypothesis that viruses might be associated with LCH. The theoretical constructs surrounding this question and new data refuting the association are summarised.
McClain
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Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston 77030.
Weiss
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RA
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017977:Deltaretrovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006678:HIV / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D017992:Parvovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification
D004279:DNA, Viral