title: Molecular and virologic characteristics of lymphoid malignancies in children with AIDS.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize AIDS-associated lymphoid malignancies in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied lymphomas and B-cell leukemias from 25 children with AIDS for immunoglobulin heavy chain gene clonality, c-myc oncogene abnormalities, and presence of HIV and Epstein-Barr virus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Monoclonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements were identified in 22 of 23 cases tested, the single exception being one of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. Immunoglobulin gene/c-myc translocations were found in 3 of 4 cases of B (surface immunoglobulin-positive)-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 8 of 11 small noncleaved cell lymphomas, and 1 of 5 large cell lymphomas. Mutations of c-myc were found in 2 of 13 small noncleaved cell lymphomas, 1 of 2 Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue neoplasms, and 1 of 4 Epstein-Barr virus-negative B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Six small noncleaved cell lymphomas, both mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue neoplasms and one of large cell lymphoma had high levels of Epstein-Barr virus in tumor tissue. Hodgkin's disease tissue and B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia tumors were negative for EBV. Proviral HIV-1 was not detected in any tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AIDS-associated lymphoid malignancies in children appear to have a different distribution of histologic subtypes than adult HIV-infected individuals, fewer large cell lymphomas occur in children. The small noncleaved cell lymphomas exhibit a lower frequency as well as different locations of c-myc mutations than AIDS-associated small noncleaved cell lymphomas in adults.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Cancer Center, Hematology Service, Houston, USA. kmcclain@txccc.org
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: McClain
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Jenson
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hutchison
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D016259:Genes, myc; D006678:HIV / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015448:Leukemia, B-Cell / Q000150:complications*; D016483:Lymphoma, AIDS-Related / Q000150:complications*; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational