New characterization of infectious mononucleosis and a phenotypic comparison with Hodgkin's disease.

Abstract

Recent nucleic acid hybridization studies have implied that Reed-Sternberg/Hodgkin (RS/H) cells are infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) before malignant transformation, and hence, that Hodgkin's disease could develop as a consequence of malignant transformation of an EBV-infected cell. This study is a detailed immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization characterization of the various lymphoid cells in nine cases of infectious mononucleosis (IM), the acute manifestation of EBV infection. The RS/H-like cells of IM were similar in most respects to their morphologically identical counterparts in Hodgkin's disease; they expressed the EBV-encoded protein LMP1, EBV EBER1 transcripts, and CD30 and rarely, if ever, expressed CD45/LCA or T cell markers. Dissimilarities were limited to CD15 negativity and the absence of a collarette of T cells around the RS/H-like cells of IM compared with their Hodgkin's counterparts. Expression of the immortalizing bcl-2 oncoprotein was variable in the RS/H-like cells of IM, as has been demonstrated in the RS/H cells of Hodgkin's disease by other investigators. An apoptosis assay suggested that many apoptotic cells in IM were EBV-infected T cells, in keeping with the previous in vitro observation that IM-derived T cells succumb to apoptosis. Additionally, the apoptosis assay suggested that RS/H-like cells of IM can succumb to programmed cell death, reminiscent of the mummified RS/H cells seen in Hodgkin's disease. The accumulation of evidence suggests that RS/H-like cells of IM are more similar to true RS/H cells than previously recognized.

• Authors: D J Reynolds, P M Banks, M L Gulley
• Journal: The American journal of pathology (Am J Pathol) Vol. 146 Issue 2 Pg. 379-88 (Feb 1995) ISSN: 0002-9440 [Print] United States
• PMID: 7531953 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S., Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antigens, CD
• Antigens, Viral
• EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
• RNA, Viral
• Viral Matrix Proteins

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antigens, CD (analysis)
• Antigens, Viral (analysis)
• Apoptosis
• Female
• Herpesvirus 4, Human (immunology)
• Hodgkin Disease (immunology, pathology, virology)
• Humans
• In Situ Hybridization
• Infant
• Infectious Mononucleosis (immunology, pathology, virology)
• Male
• Phenotype
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins (analysis)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
• RNA, Viral (analysis)
• Reed-Sternberg Cells (chemistry, immunology, pathology, virology)
• Staining and Labeling
• Viral Matrix Proteins (analysis)