Intramyocyte detection of Epstein-Barr virus genome by laser capture microdissection in patients with inflammatory cardiomyopathy
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
In Situ Detection of Autoreactive CD4 T Cells in Brain and Heart Using Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Dextramers
Published on: August 1, 2014
Cristina Chimenti1, Andrea Russo, Maurizio Pieroni
1Cardiothoracic and Vascular Department, Vita e Salute University, Milan, Italy.
Background:
The causal role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in inflammatory cardiomyopathy (IC) is still unclear, because this virus is present in latently infected circulating B lymphocytes in 90% of adults. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) has been applied on endomyocardial biopsy samples from patients with IC to assess the presence of EBV genome in separately dissected lymphocytes and myocytes.
Methods And Results:
Among 142 patients with cardiac dilation and dysfunction and a histological and immunohistochemical diagnosis of myocarditis, 44 had a myocardial viral infection detected by polymerase chain reaction on frozen endomyocardial biopsy samples. In 9 of them, the virus detected was EBV. LCM was performed on 5-microm-thick paraffin sections of EBV-infected hearts. Lymphocytes and myocytes were microdissected and analyzed separately by polymerase chain reaction analysis on DNA extracted from the collected cells. Blood and myocardial samples from patients with positive and negative serology for EBV were used as controls. EBV genome was detected in myocytes but not in infiltrating lymphocytes of patients, nor in myocardial samples from controls. Despite full conventional antifailure therapy, a progressive cardiac dilation and dysfunction was documented in patients with EBV-related IC at a mean of 31+/-14 months of follow-up.
Conclusions:
Intramyocyte detection of EBV can be obtained by LCM in up to 6.3% of patients with IC. This supports a cytopathic EBV role and suggests the opportunity for an antiviral/immunomodulatory therapy.
Insights
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may cause inflammatory cardiomyopathy (IC) by infecting heart muscle cells (myocytes). This study used laser capture microdissection to find EBV in myocytes, suggesting a new treatment approach for IC.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- The role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in inflammatory cardiomyopathy (IC) is not fully understood.
- EBV is common in adults, residing in B lymphocytes.
- Laser capture microdissection (LCM) was used to isolate cells from heart biopsies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and location of EBV in endomyocardial biopsy samples from patients with IC.
- To determine if EBV infects myocytes or lymphocytes in the heart.
- To explore the potential role of EBV in the pathogenesis of IC.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of endomyocardial biopsy samples from 142 patients diagnosed with myocarditis.
- Detection of viral infections using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
- LCM to isolate myocytes and lymphocytes from EBV-positive hearts for separate PCR analysis.
Main Results:
- EBV was detected in 9 out of 44 patients with myocardial viral infections.
- LCM identified the EBV genome specifically within myocytes, not in infiltrating lymphocytes.
- Patients with EBV-related IC showed progressive cardiac dysfunction despite standard therapy.
Conclusions:
- EBV can be detected within myocytes in a subset of IC patients (up to 6.3%) using LCM.
- These findings support a direct cytopathic role for EBV in IC.
- The results suggest potential for antiviral or immunomodulatory therapies in EBV-associated IC.
More Related Videos
06:11Rapid Detection of Bacterial Pathogens Causing Lower Respiratory Tract Infections via Microfluidic-Chip-Based Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification
Published on: March 29, 2024
03:55Robust Detection of Gene Amplification in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Samples by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization
Published on: July 12, 2024
