title: High frequency of Epstein-Barr virus in Chinese peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
abstract: Forty-two cases of Chinese T-cell lymphoma were studied for expression of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encoded RNA (EBER-1) and EBV latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively. EBV was detected in tumour cells in 24/39 peripheral T-cell lymphomas (62%), comprising 18/27 pleomorphic, medium and large cell lymphomas (67%), 4/6 angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy-like lymphomas (67%), 2/2 Lennert's lymphomas, 0/2 anaplastic large cell lymphomas, and 0/2 T-zone lymphomas. EBV was not found in three T-lymphoblastic lymphomas. EBV was associated with 12/24 nodal (50%) compared with 12/15 extranodal (80%) peripheral T-cell lymphomas. In EBV positive nodal lymphomas, 9/12 cases (75%) contained less than 10% EBER positive tumour cells. In EBV positive extranodal lymphomas, 9/11 cases (82%) showed EBV gene expression in more than 50% of the tumour cells, and in five of these almost all tumour cells were positive. Lymphomas of the nasopharynx (mainly midline granuloma-type) showed EBER-1 expression in nearly all tumour cells. LMP-1 was detected in 19/23 EBER positive peripheral T-cell lymphomas (83%). Our results show that EBV is strongly associated with peripheral T-cell lymphomas in Chinese. An important role for the virus is suggested in lymphomas of the nasopharynx. The significance of EBV in T-cell lymphomas that contain only a minor population of virally infected tumour cells is currently unclear.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopathology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: X G
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hamilton-Dutoit
authors.forename: Q H
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pallesen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016411:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins