EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS IN PRIMARY GASTROINTESTINAL T-CELL LYMPHOMAS - ASSOCIATION WITH GLUTEN-SENSITIVE ENTEROPATHY, PATHOLOGICAL FEATURES, ANDIMMUNOPHENOTYPE

Forty-three primary gastrointestinal T cell lymphomas were investigate d for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) by polymerase chain rea ction, RNA in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. In additio n, the association between EBV and clinicopathological characteristics of these lymphomas was investigated. Five of the thirty-eight cases t hat could be evaluated expressed EBV-encoded nonpolyadenylated RNA-1 i n most tumor cells. Two of these five cases were EBV latent membrane p rotein-1 positive. All five cases were CD30 positive. In three of thes e five EBV-associated T cell lymphomas, the tumor cells were considere d to be the neoplastic counterparts of activated cytotoxic T cells as shown by the expression of granzyme B. There was no association with h istological characteristics of gluten-sensitive enteropathy, angioinva sion, necrosis, eosinophilia, or epitheliotropism of the tumor cells. Tbe substantial percentage (58%) of EBV DNA polymerase chain reaction- positive cases was largely the result of the presence of EBV-encoded R NA-1-positive reactive cells, In conclusion, EBV might have an importa nt etiological role in only 13% of the primary gastrointestinal T cell lymphomas. This percentage is similar to the findings in primary lymp h node and lung T cell lymphomas.