HUMAN-HERPESVIRUS-8 DNA IN CNS LYMPHOMAS FROM PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT AIDS

Background and Objective: Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) has been found i n association with Kaposi's sarcomas in human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV)-positive and -negative patients, primary effusion lymphomas (PELs ), multicentric Castleman's disease, and multiple myeloma. The PELs sh are several features with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-as sociated primary central nervous system lymphomas (1 degrees CNS-L), i ncluding B-cell phenotype, infection with Epstein-Barr virus, and lack of c-myc gene rearrangements. This prompted us to investigate the rol e of HHV-8 in 1 degrees CNS-L and other brain lymphomas. Methods: To i dentify HHV-8, we performed nested and single polymerase chain reactio n using DNA extracted from autopsy and biopsy brain lymphoma specimens of 36 patients with and without AIDS. Results: We detected HHV-8 DNA in 56% of all 1 degrees CNS-L, with similar rates for patients with an d without AIDS, but in just one of five metastatic B-cell lymphomas. B rain tissues histologically uninvolved by lymphoma were negative for H HV-8 in three patients in whom their 1 degrees CNS-L was HHV-8 positiv e. In contrast, we easily demonstrated HHV-8 DNA in spleens and a KS l esion of patients with HHV-8-positive 1 degrees CNS-L. All nonlymphoma brain controls were negative for HHV-8. Conclusions: HHV-8 DNA is fou nd in a significant percentage of 1 degrees CNS-L, including patients with and without AIDS. Identification of HHV-8 in splenic tissue and a bsence of HHV-8 in control brain tissues suggests the possibility of a peripheral lymphocyte reservoir for HHV-8. Systemically infected lymp hocytes may play a direct or indirect role in the pathogenesis of 1 de grees NS-L.