Epstein-Barr virus-infected T lymphocytes in Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome.
The clonal composition of EBV-infected cells was examined in three cases of EBV-associated hemophagocytic syndrome by analysis of the heterogeneity of terminal repetitive sequences in the EBV genome, indicating monoclonal expansion of EBV-infected cells in all cases. Involvement of T lymphoid cells was determined by in situ hybridization using 35S-labeled RNA probes specific for the small EBV-encoded nuclear RNAs, EBER1 and EBER2, in combination with immunostaining for the TCR-beta chain, CD45RO, CD20, CD30 and CD68 antigens in these three cases. The majority of lymphoid cells showing EBER transcripts were stained by antibodies against CD45RO and T cell receptor-beta. In contrast, EBER-specific signals were not detectable on B cells or hemophagocytic cells. These data support the concept that EBV-associated T cell proliferation is a primary feature of EBV-AHS.
Department of Virology, National Children's Medical Research Center, Tokyo, Japan.
H
H
Kawaguchi
T
T
Miyashita
H
H
Herbst
G
G
Niedobitek
M
M
Asada
M
M
Tsuchida
R
R
Hanada
A
A
Kinoshita
M
M
Sakurai
N
N
Kobayashi
D000293:Adolescent; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015616:Histiocytosis, Non-Langerhans-Cell / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology
D000956:Antigens, Viral