Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein expression by Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg-like cells in acute infectious mononucleosis.

Abstract

In the light of reports of latent membrane protein (LMP) expression by Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells, paraffin sections of tonsil (two cases), lymph nodes (eight cases; three cervical, one axillary, and four inguinal) and spleen (four cases) from 14 patients with acute infectious mononucleosis (IM) have been examined for the presence of HRS-like cells and immunostained with an antibody to LMP. Sections of the tonsils and one lymph node were also stained with a panel of antibodies which characterize HRS cells of Hodgkin's disease. The tonsils contained abundant HRS-like cells, mainly adjacent to the crypts, which were highlighted by strong LMP expression. The immunophenotype of these cells closely, but not completely, resembled that of HRS cells of Hodgkin's disease. The lymph nodes and spleens showed the typical changes of acute IM but only few LMP-positive HRS-like cells were present in the cervical lymph nodes and hardly any were present in the inguinal nodes and spleen. These findings suggest that tonsillar crypt squamous epithelium may play a role in the formation of LMP-positive HRS-like cells; these cells could be progenitors of Hodgkin's disease HRS cells and, if so, this might explain the restricted sites of presentation of Hodgkin's disease.