Expression of potentially oncogenic HHV-8 genes in an EBV-negative primary effusion lymphoma occurring in an HIV-seronegative patient.
Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a novel lymphoproliferative disorder associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection. Most PELs develop in HIV-seropositive individuals and are nearly always positive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a finding which obscures the role of HHV-8 in lymphomagenesis. However, rare EBV-negative PEL cases occurring in HIV-seronegative patients have been reported, suggesting that HHV-8 may be pathogenetic by itself. To investigate whether HHV-8 may contribute to PEL development in the absence of EBV, the expression of seven potentially oncogenic HHV-8 open reading frames (ORFs) (ORF72/viral cyclin D, ORF16/viral bcl-2, ORF74/viral G-protein coupled receptor, ORFK2/viral IL-6, ORFK13/viral FLICE inhibitory protein, ORFK9/viral interferon regulatory factor, and ORFK1, equivalent to the gene encoding herpesvirus saimiri transforming protein) was assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in an EBV-negative PEL presenting in an HIV-negative patient. RNA transcripts were demonstrated for the seven HHV-8 genes, and this was confirmed by hybridization to specific oligonucleotide probes. The expression of potentially oncogenic HHV-8 genes in this HIV-, EBV-negative PEL case suggests that HHV-8 may induce malignant transformation of B-lymphocytes through different molecular pathways in the absence of EBV infection.
Cobo
F
F
Department of Hematology, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain.
Hernández
S
S
Hernández
L
L
Pinyol
M
M
Bosch
F
F
Esteve
J
J
López-Guillermo
A
A
Palacín
A
A
Raffeld
M
M
Montserrat
E
E
Jaffe
E S
ES
Campo
E
E
D015870:Gene Expression; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged