Gammaherpesviruses and canine lymphoma: no evidence for direct involvement in commonly occurring lymphomas.
Lymphoma is the most common haematopoietic malignancy in dogs, but little is known about the aetiology of this heterogeneous group of cancers. In humans, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with several lymphoma subtypes. Recently, it was suggested that EBV or an EBV-like virus is circulating in dogs. We therefore investigated whether EBV, or a novel herpesvirus, is associated with canine lymphoma using both serological and molecular techniques. In an assay designed to detect antibodies to EBV viral capsid antigens, 41 % of dogs were positive. Dogs with cancers, including lymphoma, were more frequently positive than controls, but no particular association with B-cell lymphoma was noted. EBV-specific RNA and DNA sequences were not detected in lymphoma tissue by in situ hybridization or PCR, and herpesvirus genomes were not detected using multiple degenerate PCR assays with the ability to detect novel herpesviruses. We therefore found no evidence that herpesviruses are directly involved in common types of canine lymphoma although cannot exclude the presence of an EBV-like virus in the canine population.
1MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
Elspeth M
EM
Waugh
1MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
Alice
A
Gallagher
1MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
Karen A
KA
McAulay
2Centro Veterinario Berna, Av. Berna 35C, 1050-038 Lisbon, Portugal.
Joaquim
J
Henriques
3Centro de Investigação em Biociências e Tecnologias da Saúde (CBiOS), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária (FMV)/Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias (ULHT), Lisbon, Portugal.
Margarida
M
Alves
1MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
Adam J
AJ
Bell
4School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
Joanna S
JS
Morris
1MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
Ruth F
RF
Jarrett
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D004285:Dogs; D018142:Gammaherpesvirinae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral