Serum sCD23 level in patients with AIDS-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is associated with absence of Epstein-Barr virus in tumor tissue

The cytokine soluble CD23 (sCD23) acts as a B cell growth factor and is ass ociated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. To elucidate the role sCD2 3 might play in the pathogenesis of AIDS-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (AI DS NHL), 101 AIDS NHL patients from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study were studied. Serum sCD23 within 18 months prior to lymphoma diagnosis was measu red for all patients and EBV in tumor tissue was ascertained for 49 patient s. Tumor morphology and primary site were verified from pathology reports a nd tumor specimens. Bivariate tests and multivariate regression were employ ed to determine whether serum sCD23 correlated with tumor EBV, morphology, and primary site. Higher levels of serum sCD23 were associated with the abs ence of tumor EBV and with small noncleaved cell morphology, Thus, the seru m sCD23 level does not appear to be mediated by EBV in these patients, but could be related to a pathogenetic mechanism of small noncleaved cell lymph oma, (C) 1999 Academic Press.