Characterization of Epstein-Barr virus-infected cells in benign lymphadenopathy of patients seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus.
The authors investigated 25 benign lymph nodes in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect and characterize the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected cells. After ISH, 22 lymph nodes were found to contain various numbers of Epstein-Barr-encoded RNA (EBER)-positive cells. Most of these cells were B cells. In six lymph nodes with numerous EBV-infected cells, EBNA2-positive/LMP1-positive lymphoblastoid cells were detected by IHC. Exceptional cells (in two specimens) were positively labeled with antigen-Z Epstein-Barr replicative activator (ZEBRA) antibody or BamHI Left Frame 1/Not I (BHLF1/Not I) probes, indicating that EBV replication is not enhanced in the lymphocytes. In normal conditions (healthy individuals), small lymphocytes that express a restricted pattern of viral genes do escape immune response, whereas lymphoblastoid cells do not. Thus, impaired immune system may account for the late proliferation of lymphoblastoid cells (Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen [EBNA]2positive/latent membrane protein [LMP]1 positive) in HIV-infected patients, and could explain why EBV-driven, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occur more frequently in patients with low CD4-positive T cells.
Brousset
P
P
Department of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Purpan, Toulouse, France.
Schlaifer
D
D
Roda
D
D
Massip
P
P
Marchou
B
B
Delsol
G
G
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006678:HIV / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D017252:CD3 Complex; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C037662:EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins