Abstract
The role of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) in the onset of Hodgkin's lymphoma has been a subject of ongoing research. However, confirmation of EBV oncogenic involvement was not possible due to the small number of neoplastic cells characteristic for this type of tumor. Presence of EBV infection in neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells was analyzed in 81 cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma. In neoplastic cells, using an immunohistochemical method, latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) was found in 33,3% of cases, while in situ hybridization results demonstrated the presence of EBER RNA in 48,1% of the cases. EBER RNA was found in non-neoplastic lymphocytes in 38,3% of cases. EBV is most frequently associated with Hodgkin's lymphoma in the first and seventh decade of life, specifically the nodular sclerosis subtype. No apparent difference was observed in the association of Hodgkin's lymphoma with EBV between genders, or in relation to clinical stage of the disease and average age of the patient. However, association with childhood age is significantly greater in comparison to adults. EBV associated disease shows a significantly greater prevalence in T lymphocytes. Slightly more abundant are cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which are also more frequently in contact with Reed-Sternberg cells, although there is no difference in number and positioning of histiocytes. Variations between the data on the association of EBV with Hodgkin's lymphoma among studies from different parts of the world suggest that factors of age, gender, ethnic background and social status might present biological modifiers of EBV influence on the pathogenesis of this neoplasm. The differences in non-neoplastic infiltrate EBV+ and EBV- lymphoma indicate the effect of the virus on the immune interaction of tumor and host in this disease.
Highlights
It is known that patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma have impaired immune response ( )
The fact that Epstein Barr virus (EBV) makes human B lymphocytes immortal, and in mouse neoplastic, that expression of EBV gene in immortalized cell lines of rodents leads to transformation in vitro and in vivo, as well as the tumorigenic effect of EBV in some primates, have led to biological basis of EBV association with Hodgkin lymphoma (, )
Half of the cases with nodular sclerosis subtype in the fifth, sixth and seventh decade of life were associated with EBV infection
Summary
It is known that patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma have impaired immune response ( ). In the group of subjects in which in situ hybridization demonstrated the presence of EBER RNA in neoplastic cells, ( , ) cases were positive for EBV LMP with immunohistochemical method.
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