Epstein-Barr virus genome level, T-cell clonality and the prognosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
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.
Kawano
Riko
R
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Ohshima
Koichi
K
Wakamatsu
Shinichi
S
Suzumiya
Junji
J
Kikuchi
Masahiro
M
Tamura
Kazuo
K
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*