Screening for adenoviruses in haematological neoplasia: High prevalence in mantle cell lymphoma.
Human adenoviruses possess oncogenic capacity which is well documented in mammalian animal models, but their possible implication in human malignancy has remained enigmatic. Following primary infection, adenoviruses can persist in a latent state in lymphocytes where the virus is apparently able to evade immune surveillance. In the present study, we have employed a broad-spectrum adenovirus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to systematically screen more than 200 diagnostic specimens of different lymphoid malignancies including acute lymphocytic leukaemia (n=50), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (n=50), various types of malignant lymphoma (n=100) and multiple myeloma (n=11) for the presence of adenoviral sequences. While most entities analysed revealed negative findings in virtually all specimens tested, adenoviral DNA was detected in 15/36 (42%) mantle cell lymphomas investigated. The most prevalent adenoviral species detected was C, and less commonly B. Adenovirus-positive findings in patients with mantle cell lymphoma were made at different sites including bone marrow (n=7), intestine (n=5), lymph nodes (n=2) and tonsillar tissue (n=1). The presence of adenoviral sequences identified by PCR was confirmed in individual cells by fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH). The frequent observation of adenoviruses in mantle cell lymphoma is intriguings, and raises questions about their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of this lymphoid malignancy.
Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria.
Karin
K
Kosulin
Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria.
Margit
M
Rauch
Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria; Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Peter F
PF
Ambros
Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria.
Ulrike
U
Pötschger
Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
Andreas
A
Chott
Department of Hematology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Ulrich
U
Jäger
Department of Oncology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Johannes
J
Drach
Institute of Pathology and Microbiology, Hanusch-Krankenhaus, Vienna, Austria.
Alexander
A
Nader
Children's Cancer Research Institute, Vienna, Austria; Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: Thomas.Lion@ccri.at.
Thomas
T
Lion
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D020522:Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D009858:Oncogenic Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence
Human adenovirus; Leukaemia; Lymphoma; Mantle cell lymphoma; Oncogenic virus