Epstein-Barr virus and lymphoid hematological disorders.

BACKGROUND

To study the role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the carcinogenesis of various lymphoid neoplasms in Taiwan, a nonisotopic in situ hybridization (ISH) technique was used to detect the expression of EBV-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) in various lymphoid neoplasms.

METHODS

We obtained the paraffin-embedded tissues of various hematological malignancies from the Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital. Nonisotopic ISH technique was employed to detect EBERs and immunohistochemical staining was performed to confirm the cell lineage.

RESULTS

Our data showed the frequency of EBV infection on various lymphoid malignancies as followed: Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) (10/18); non-Burkitt's Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (3/42); non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, T cell type, nasal (NHLTN) (5/5); Hodgkin's disease (2/9); acute lymphocytic leukemia (1/24); chronic lymphocytic leukemia (1/15); and multiple myeloma (2/18). In the control group, none of the specimens from patients of acute myelocytic leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome was positive for EBERs.

CONCLUSIONS

Among the various lymphoid neoplasms we studied, only BL (p < 0.05) and NHLTN (p < 0.05) were found to have an association with EBV statistically.