Lymphoproliferative disorders in Costa Rica and simian virus 40.
OBJECTIVE
Simian virus 40 (SV40) is an oncogenic DNA virus implicated in some human malignancies, including lymphomas. In the present masked case-control study, we investigated the prevalence of SV40 sequences and the expression of the viral oncoprotein, large tumor antigen (T-ag), in lymphomas and control specimens from patients negative for the human immunodeficiency virus in Costa Rica.


METHODS
Coded specimens were anlyzed by polymerase chain reaction for SV40 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). SV40 sequences were confirmed by Southern blot and DNA sequence analysis. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of SV40 T-ag in coded samples and to immunophenotype the lymphomas.


RESULTS
When samples were decoded, SV40 DNA sequences were detected significantly more often in lymphomas than in control samples (30/125, 24% vs. 0/91, 0%; p=0.001). SV40 DNA was detected in 26% and 10% of non-Hodgkin's and Hodgkin's lymphomas, respectively. EBV DNA was detected in 10% of lymphomas and 33% of control specimens. None of the lymphomas was positive for both SV40 and EBV. Expression of SV40 T-ag was detected in 64% of B-cell lymphomas that contained T-ag DNA sequences and in none of the samples negative for viral DNA. Not all cells in a positive tumor expressed T-ag and the reactions were relatively low intensity. A germinal center B-cell-like profile was frequently associated with SV40-positive lymphomas. Of note, 20% of patients with SV40-related lymphomas were born in the 1970s and 1980s.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that SV40 is significantly associated with some B-cell neoplasms in Costa Rica today.
Meneses
Armando
A
Department of Pathology, Hospital San Juan de Dios, San Jose, Costa Rica.
Lopez-Terrada
Dolores
D
Zanwar
Preeti
P
Killen
Deanna E
DE
Monterroso
Victoria
V
Butel
Janet S
JS
Vilchez
Regis A
RA
D000328:Adult; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003364:Costa Rica / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004340:Drug Contamination; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000821:virology; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000821:virology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000821:virology; D011054:Poliovirus Vaccine, Inactivated / Q000009:adverse effects*; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D019310:Pseudolymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology
D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; D004279:DNA, Viral; D011054:Poliovirus Vaccine, Inactivated