Primary effusion lymphoma cell lines harbouring human herpesvirus type-8

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a novel lymphoma entity consistently inf ected by HHV-8 that occurs predominantly in immunodeficient patients and is characterized by liquid growth in the serous body cavities. in order to fa cilitate the understanding of PEL pathogenesis and histogenesis, we have es tablished three PEL cell lines termed CRO-AP/2, CRO-AP/3 and CRO-AP/5. All cell lines have been derived from HIV positive homosexual men affected by P EL with tin the case of CRO-AP/2 and CRO-AP/5) or without tin the case of C RO-AP/3) a previous history of Kaposi's sarcoma. The cell lines are represe ntative of both virologic variants of PEL, i.e. HHV-8(+) EBV+ PEL (CRO-AP/2 and CRO-AP/5) and HHV-8(+) EBV- PEL (CRO-AP/3). Morphologic and phenotypic features of CRO-APR, CRO-AP/3 and CRO-AP/5 are typical of PEL, and include morphology bridging immunoblastic and anaplastic features as well as an in determinate (non B- non T-cell) phenotype. The B-cell nature of the cell li nes is documented by the presence of rearranged immunoglobulin genes. The d etailed analysis of the molecular and phenotypic features of CRO-AP/2, CRO- AP/3 and CRO-AP/5 has allowed the identification of recurrent chromosomal a bnormalities of PEL and has contributed to the definition of PEL as a lymph oma of post-germinal center, pre-terminally differentiated B-cells.