MOLECULAR PROFILE OF EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS IN HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE 1-RELATED LYMPHADENOPATHIES AND LYMPHOMAS

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients develop a spectrum of lymphoproliferative disorders ranging from nonneoplastic lymphadenopathies to B-cell lymphomas. Although evidence suggests tha t Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) might be involved, its molecular profile an d expression pattern in HIV-1-related lymphoproliferations remain to b e defined. Using polymerase chain reaction-based techniques, we studie d EBV types and variants in 28 lymphadenopathy lesions and in 20 lymph omas (15 large cell and 5 Burkitt-like). EBV was detected in 89% of ly mphadenopathies and in 80% of lymphomas; viral DNA content was signifi cantly higher in the latter. EBNA2 and LMP1 gene analysis indicated th at half of the EBV+ lymphadenopathies were coinfected with both EBV ty pe 1 and 2 strains and/or multipie type 1 variants. Conversely, all bu t one lymphoma carried a single viral variant, consistently type 1 in large cell lymphomas, and type 2 in Burkitt-like tumors. Most lymphoma s, but no lymphadenopathies, showed monoclonal Ig heavy-chain rearrang ement. Analysis of 5 large cell lymphomas and 9 lymphadenopathies for EBV transcripts identified LMP1 mRNA in most samples, and the EBNA2 tr anscript in all tumors. These findings provide evidence of a heterogen eous EBV population in lymphadenopathy lesions, strengthen the notion that lymphomas arise from clonal expansion of EBV+ cells, and suggest different roles for EBV types 1 and 2 in HIV-1-related lymphoprolifera tions. (C) 1997 by The American Society of Hematology.