A novel Epstein-Barr virus-like virus, HV(MNE), in a Macaca nemestrina with mycosis fungoides.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection of humans has been associated with the development of lymphoid malignancies mainly of B-cell lineage, although occasionally T-cell lymphomas have been reported. We describe here the characterization of a novel EBV-like virus (HV(MNE)) isolated from a simian T-cell lymphotropic virus type I/II (STLV-I/II) seronegative pigtailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) with a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Immunohistochemistry studies on the skin lesions demonstrated that the infiltrating cells were of the CD3(+)/CD8(+) phenotype. Two primary transformed CD8(+) T-cell lines were obtained from cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and skin, and, with time, both cell lines became interleukin-2-independent and acquired the constitutive activation of STAT proteins. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of the DNA from the cell lines and tissues from the lymphomatous animal demonstrated the presence of a 536-bp DNA fragment that was 90% identical to EBV polymerase gene sequences, whereas the same DNA was consistently negative for STLV-I/II sequences. Electron microscopy performed on both cell lines, after sodium butyrate treatment, showed the presence of a herpes-like virus that was designated HV(MNE) according to the existing nomenclature. In situ hybridization studies using EBV Epstein-Barr viral-encoded RNA probes showed viral RNA expression in both CD8(+) T-cell lines as well as in the infiltrating CD8(+) T cells of skin-tissue biopsies. Phylogenetic analysis of a 465-bp fragment from the polymerase gene of HV(MNE) placed this virus within the Lymphocryptovirus genus and demonstrated that HV(MNE) is a distinct virus, clearly related to human EBV and other EBV-like herpesviruses found in nonhuman primates.
Rivadeneira
E D
ED
National Cancer Institute, Basic Research Laboratory, Bethesda, MD; the Leukaemia Research Fund Virus Centre, Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Ferrari
M G
MG
Jarrett
R F
RF
Armstrong
A A
AA
Markham
P
P
Birkebak
T
T
Takemoto
S
S
Johnson-Delaney
C
C
Pecon-Slattery
J
J
Clark
E A
EA
Franchini
G
G
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D018143:Lymphocryptovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008254:Macaca nemestrina / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018419:Primate Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D004279:DNA, Viral