High association of human herpesvirus 8 in large-plaque parapsoriasis and mycosis fungoides.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the presence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) in lesional skin of German patients with large-plaque parapsoriasis (LPP) or mycosis fungoides (MF). The pathogenetic relevance of HHV-8 in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is controversial. Recently, a highly significant association of HHV-8 in LPP was found, which suggests a role in the pathogenesis of this disease.


METHODS
Retrospective study of the presence of HHV-8 in German patients with lymphoproliferative diseases.


METHODS
Dermatologic clinic at a university hospital of the Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.


METHODS
Fifty-three patients treated for lymphoproliferative skin diseases were included in the study, including 14 patients with LPP, 31 with different stages of MF, and 8 with lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP). Twenty-three patients with Kaposi sarcoma (KS) made up the positive control group, and 10 patients with atopic dermatitis served as negative controls.


METHODS
The presence of HHV-8 was analyzed from paraffin-embedded lesional tissue samples using a nested polymerase chain reaction for the open reading frame (ORF) 26 and with immunohistochemical staining for the latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) encoded by ORF 73.


RESULTS
A high association of HHV-8 infection in both lymphoproliferative skin diseases was observed: 87% of LPP and 70% of MF tissue samples tested positive for HHV-8 DNA from ORF 26. However, HHV-8 was not detectable in LPP and MF by using the immunohistochemical marker LANA.


CONCLUSIONS
A virus unambiguously associated with KS, HHV-8 was frequently detected at low amounts in LPP and MF specimens. However, based on the methods of HHV-8 detection used in this study, no conclusion can be drawn on the etiologic and pathogenetic role of HHV-8 in these diseases.
Kreuter
Alexander
A
Department of Dermatology, Ruhr University Bochum, Gudrunstrasse 56, D-44791 Bochum, Germany. a.kreuter@derma.de
Bischoff
Sebastian
S
Skrygan
Marina
M
Wieland
Ulrike
U
Brockmeyer
Norbert H
NH
Stücker
Markus
M
Altmeyer
Peter
P
Gambichler
Thilo
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017731:Lymphomatoid Papulosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D010267:Parapsoriasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C109540:latency-associated nuclear antigen