Epstein-Barr virus subtype distribution in angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy

The tissues of 16 patients bearing a T-cell lymphoma of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy type (AILD-TCL) were investigated for the distribution of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) subtypes 1 and 2. EBV-association had been proven in these cases by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for EBV-DNA, in situ hybridization (ISH) for EBV-encoded small nuclear RNAs (EBER) and immunohistology for EBV-encoded latent membrane protein (LMP). PCR and EBER-ISH produced mostly identical results, but some cases were positive with only one of the 2 methods employed. LMP was detected in a few large cells of 8/13 cases. Twelve cases were investigated for the distribution of EBV subtypes. One case contained EBV genome of subtype 2, 3 cases contained subtype 1 and 4 cases contained both subtypes. Four cases could not be typed. These findings suggest that in AILD, as in AIDS-associated lymphomas and lymphomas of the lethal midline granuloma type, subtype 2 of EBV may occur, perhaps in relation to an immunodysfunction developing progressively in these patients.