Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA sequences in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Serologic testing shows that hepatitis C virus (HCV) may have a role in the pathogenesis of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B-cell NHLs). We tried to demonstrate HCV RNA sequences in paraffin-embedded tissue from B-cell NHLs by reverse-transcription double polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blotting. We studied 31 consecutive cases of B-cell NHLs; lymph nodes from 32 patients with diseases other than B-cell NHL were negative controls. Positive-strand HCV RNA was tested with primers for the 5' untranslated region. Replicative negative strand HCV RNA was tested with strand-specific RT-PCR for the 5' untranslated region. Immunohistochemical staining for HCV was done using an antibody to HCV core protein. Positive-strand HCV RNA was detected in 8 patients with B-cell NHL; negative-strand HCV RNA was detected in 6 of these cases, indicating viral replication. All control cases were negative for HCV RNA. Immunohistochemistry showed no staining of lymphoma cells for HCV core proteins in any case. HCV and B-cell NHLs may be associated. RT-PCR on paraffin-embedded lymphoma tissue is an alternative method of testing for HCV. The value of immunohistochemistry could not be ascertained. The exact role of HCV in the pathogenesis of B-cell NHL needs to be studied further.
Karavattathayyil
S J
SJ
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
Kalkeri
G
G
Liu
H J
HJ
Gaglio
P
P
Garry
R F
RF
Krause
J R
JR
Dash
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018963:Hepatitis Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014779:Virus Replication
D017931:DNA Primers; D018963:Hepatitis Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins