DETECTION OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRAL GENOME IN TUMOR-CELLS OF WARTHINS TUMOR OF PAROTID-GLAND

The presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA-sequences in specimens of Warthin's tumor in the parotid gland was studied. Using an in situ hy bridization technique, EBV genome was detected in distinct cell types in routinely processed tissues. The authors' results indicated that EB V is frequently present in the cytoplasm (possibly because of a chroni c, productive infection) of neoplastic cells of multiple/bilateral War thin's tumor (MBWT) (86.7%), and only occasionally of solitary Warthin 's tumor (SWT) (16.7%). In addition, EBV genome has often been documen ted in the cytoplasm of ductal cells (75% of MBWT and 33.3% of SWT), a nd occasionally of acinar cells (16.7% of both MBWT and SWT) of residu al normal salivary gland tissue surrounding both MBWT and SWT. The alm ost constant presence of EBV DNA in tumor cells of MBWT, as opposed to the occasional finding in SWT, suggested a strong association between infection of cells with this virus and the development of multiple/bi lateral lesions. The positivity of ductal epithelium supported specula tions about the role of ductal cells as a histogenetic precursor of th e tumor. This was the first report on the detection of EBV genome in W arthin's tumor.