Epstein-Barr Virus-related post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders: pathogenetic insights for targeted therapy

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a spectrum of major, life-threatening lymphoproliferative diseases occurring in the post-transplant setting. The majority of PTLD is of B-cell origin and is associated with several risk factors, the most significant being Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. EBV's in vitro transforming abilities, distinctive latency, clonality within the malignant cells and response to targeted therapies implicate a critical role in the biology of PTLD. This minireview focuses on EBV-related PTLD pathogenesis, in particular the interplay between aspects of the EBV life cycle and latency with nonviral factors resulting in the wide spectrum of histology and clinical presentations encountered in PTLD. With the increased prevalence of transplantation a rise in the incidence of PTLD may be expected. Therefore the importance of laboratory and animal models in the understanding of PTLD and the development of novel therapeutic approaches is discussed.