title: Soluble CD30: a serum marker for Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative diseases.
abstract: The soluble form of CD30 (sCD30), a member of tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, has been used as a marker of disease activity in various lymphomas. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a potent stimulator of CD30 expression. The study aims to evaluate whether sCD30 can be used as a diagnostic marker for EBV-associated infectious mononucleosis (IM) and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD). Plasma from EBV seropositive healthy controls (N = 90), acute IM patients (n = 90), non-PTLD heart/lung transplant recipients (N = 30) and EBV-positive PTLD patients (N = 23) was tested for sCD30 using a commercially available ELISA kit. EBV DNA was tested by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Significantly higher sCD30 levels were observed in acute IM patients (median 242.9 ng/ml) compared to EBV seropositive controls (median 15.7 ng/ml; P < 0.0001). These levels were highest in IM patients within 14 days of onset of illness. PTLD patients had significantly higher sCD30 levels (median 94 ng/ml) than healthy controls (P < 0.0001) and transplant patients (median 27 ng/ml; P = 0.0007). EBV DNA was detected mostly in acute IM and PTLD patients. In both cases there was a significant correlation between sCD30 and EBV DNA levels in plasma (P < 0.0001). This study demonstrates that sCD30 and EBV DNA levels can be used as potential markers for diagnosis of IM and PTLD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Royal Free Hospital, UCL Medical School, London, United Kingdom. t.haque@medsch.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Tanzina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haque
authors.forename: Turren
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chaggar
authors.forename: Jenna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schafers
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: McAulay
authors.forename: Dorothy H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Crawford
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen