K. Peris et al., DETECTION OF EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS GENOME IN PRIMARY CUTANEOUS T-CELL AND B-CELL LYMPHOMAS AND PSEUDOLYMPHOMAS, Archives of dermatological research, 286(7), 1994, pp. 364-368
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome has recently been identified in Ho
dgkin's disease (HD) and nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL). In order
to elucidate the possible aetiopathogenetic role of EBV in benign and
malignant lymphoproliferative disorders we investigated skin specimen
s from 24 patients with a primary cutaneous lymphoproliferative disord
ers (10 T-cell lymphomas 6 B-cell lymphomas and 8 pseudolymphomas) and
from 22 normal individuals for the presence of EBV DNA using the poly
merase chain reaction (PCR) technique and in situ hybridization (ISH)
on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. EBV DNA was ident
ified by PCR in one of two cases of mycosis fungoides, in one of seven
cases of pleomorphic T-cell lymphomas, in one case of centroblastic (
CB) lymphoma of six B-cell lymphomas, and in three of eight pseudolymp
homas. The EBV genome was also found in 2 of 22 specimens of normal sk
in. The small EBV-encoded nuclear RNAs, EBERs, were not detected in an
y PCR-positive sample by ISH. Based on our PCR and ISH findings, EBV d
oes not seem to play a significant role in the development of cutaneou
s lymphomas.