Frequent latent Epstein-Barr virus infection of neoplastic T cells and bystander B cells in human immunodeficiency virus-negative European peripheral pleomorphic T-cell lymphomas.
We investigated 81 cases of peripheral pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma (PMTCL) occurring in human immunodeficiency virus-negative Europeans for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-DNA through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of EBV-encoded small nuclear RNAs (EBER) and immediate early mRNAs (Bam H-fragment, lower strand frame [BHLF]) by in situ hybridization (ISH) and for EBV-encoded latent membrane protein (LMP) and nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) by immunohistology (IH). EBER-ISH, which could be applied on all cases, showed an overall incidence of EBV-infected cells in 38 of 81 cases (47%) of PMTCL. These data could be confirmed by PCR, which produced congruent results in the cases with amplifiable DNA. By EBER-ISH, the virus was located in the tumor cells in 30 of the 38 EBV-positive cases, with the proportion of the infected cells ranging from 1% to 100%. In 18 of these cases and in the 8 cases without EBV-infected tumor cells, the virus was, respectively, either additionally or exclusively detectable in occasional nonmalignant lymphoid bystander cells. An LMP expression was observed in several of the EBER-expressing tumor cells in 18 cases, whereas EBNA2 was detectable only in one case, which also displayed signs of viral replication. Some nonmalignant EBV-infected B immunoblasts also expressed LMP in several cases. Primary cutaneous and enteropathy-associated PMTCL displayed less frequent EBV infection when compared with other extranodal or nodal manifestations.
Konsultations und Referenzzentrum für Lymphknotenund Hämatopathologie am Institut für Pathologie, Klinikum Steglitz, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany.
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P
Korbjuhn
I
I
Anagnostopoulos
M
M
Hummel
M
M
Tiemann
F
F
Dallenbach
M R
MR
Parwaresch
H
H
Stein
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016411:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins