title: [Hodgkin's disease and Epstein-Barr virus].
abstract: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) seems to use B cell normal differentiation pathways to establish and maintain a persistent infection. This process is effectively controlled by the immune system through the action of EBV-specific T lymphocytes, so that the lifelong chronic infection is free of complications for most individuals. EBV is, however, associated with several malignancies. 30-50% of Hodgkin's lymphomas (HL) are EBV-associated. In EBV-positive HL, the virus is localized to the tumor cells and is clonal. HL is characterized by a type II form of latency with viral antigen expression limited to EBNA1, LMP1 and LMP2. EBV-positive HL is more frequent in childhood, in older patients and in mixed cellularity cases. EBV association may represent a poor prognosis factor in the elderly. The true contribution of EBV to the pathogenesis of HL remains uncertain, but EBV may provide to abnormal B cells survival signals protecting them from apoptosis. Finally, whatever the role that EBV plays in tumor development, the presence of viral antigens in the malignant cells may represent a target for new therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Service des maladies du sang, CHU de Lille. s-depil@chru-lille.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Depil
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Moralès
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Auriault
mesh_terms: D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D011379:Prognosis