title: Epstein-Barr virus genome level, T-cell clonality and the prognosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AILT) is a peripheral T-cell tumor of unknown etiology with variable biological and clinical presentations. Previous clonality studies have shown heterogeneous clonal restrictions of B- and T-cell populations in this tumor. AILT is characterized by the presence of increased numbers of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infected cells. The aim of this study was to clarify the correlation between clonality, EBV and prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Frozen material from 59 cases of AILT was used for DNA isolation and gene analysis by Southern blotting. A real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify the amount of EBV-DNA in the tissue. Survival data were retrieved from clinical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clonal T cells were found in 15/50 and clonal B-cells in 2/50 tumors, using Southern blot analysis. Bands of EBV-W were found in 10/50 tumors. Survival rate did not correlate with either T-cell clonality (p=0.84), or presence of EBV-infected cells (p=0.84). The EBV-DNA copy number in EBV-infected tissue did not correlate with disease progression (p=0.87). The survival rate and clinical status according to the international prognostic index (IPI) did not correlate with T-cell clonality status or EBV infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AILT remains a heterogeneous disease with clinical behavior that varies irrespective of the genomic parameters investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Riko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohshima
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wakamatsu
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suzumiya
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002999:Clone Cells; D016679:Genome, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007119:Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*