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.
Korbjuhn
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Konsultations und Referenzzentrum für Lymphknotenund Hämatopathologie am Institut für Pathologie, Klinikum Steglitz, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany.
Anagnostopoulos
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I
Hummel
M
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Tiemann
M
M
Dallenbach
F
F
Parwaresch
M R
MR
Stein
H
H
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