HHV-8 is associated with a plasmablastic variant of Castleman disease thatis linked to HHV-8-positive plasmablastic lymphoma

Castleman disease (CD) is a lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiolog y that is associated with the development of secondary tumors, including B- cell lymphoma. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) (Kaposi's sarcoma-associated her pesvirus) sequences have been described in some cases of multicentric Castl eman disease (MCD). Using a monoclonal anti-body against an HHV-8-latent nu clear antigen, we show that HHV-8 is specifically associated with a variant of MCD in which HHV-8-positive plasmablasts that show lambda light-chain r estriction localize in the mantle zone of B-cell follicles and coalesce to form microscopic lymphomas in some cases. Furthermore, we show that the fra nk plasmablastic lymphoma that develops in patients with this plasmablastic Variant of MCD is also positive for HHV-8 and lambda light chain. Plasmabl astic lymphoma associated with MCD is a new disease entity associated with HHV-8 infection, (C) 2000 by The American Society of Hematology.