Epstein-Barr virus positivity in Hodgkin's disease does not correlate with an HLA A2-negative phenotype

Epstein-Barr virus- (EBV) related DNA and RNA can be found in tissues involved with Hodgkin's disease, specifically in the Reed-Sternberg cells. These cells also express the membrane antigens LMP1 and LMP 2A and 2B. Studies in normal individuals indicate that cellular immunity against LMP2 was frequently mediated through human leukocyte antigen (HLA) A2, whereas responses to LMP1 appeared to be relatively infrequent. Assuming that LMP2-positive Reed-Sternberg cells would be sensitive to a CD8-positive cellular immune response, the hypothesis can be made that EBV-positive Hodgkin's disease should be more common in individuals not expressing HLA A2. To test this hypothesis, the authors have studied the frequency of HLA A2 in EBV-positive versus EBV-negative patients with Hodgkin's disease.

All 72 patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in Northern and Central Alberta, Canada, during 1990 and 1991 were studied. A nonisotopic in situ hybridization method with an oligonucleotide probe specific for EBER 1 and 2 was used. In addition, sections were stained for the EBV-latent protein LMP1, HLA A2, and a monomorphic HLA class I determinant and beta 2-microglobulin.

EBER-positive Reed-Sternberg cells were found in 26% of the patients. The percentage of positive patients was 86% in mixed cellularity, 13% in nodular sclerosis, and 0% in lymphocyte predominance. The number of those who were HLA-A2 positive was approximately 50% in the EBV-positive and -negative patients.

Therefore, no correlation between HLA A2 expression and presence or absence of EBV in the R-S cells of Hodgkin's disease was identified.