Epstein-Barr Virus

African form of Burkitt lymphoma

B-cell lymphomas in immunosuppressed individuals
Hodgkin disease
Nasopharyngeal carcinomas
 Epstein-Barr Virus
herpes family
infects epithelial cells of the oropharynx and B
lymphocytes
LMP-1
apoptosis

bcl-2
cell nucleus

EBV linear genome episome

CD21 molecule

B lymphocyte
 Burkitt lymphoma
neoplasm of B lymphocytes
most common childhood tumor in Central Africa and New Guinea

> 90% of African tumors carry the
EBV genome
100 % of the patients - elevated
antibody titers against viral capsid
antigens
Serum antibody titers against viral
capsid antigens are correlated
with the risk of developing the
tumor
not limited to the geographic
locales
known to cause infectious
mononucleosis
EBV genome - 15 to 20% of cases
of Burkitt lymphoma outside
Africa
do not form tumors when injected
into immunosuppressed mice in
vivo

* EBV serves as one factor in the multistep development of Burkitt lymphoma

Schema depicting the possible evolution of
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) induced Burkitt
lymphoma.
 B-cell lymphomas in immunosuppressed patients
* acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
* long-term immunosuppressive therapy

expression of viral antigens such as LMP-1 remains

high
these tumors seem to represent the in vivo
counterparts of the B-cell lines immortalized by EBV
infection in vitro
growth of these EBV-driven cells is sensitive to
immunologic regulation is evident from the
observation that in some cases the tumors regress
after relaxation of immunosuppressive therapy
 Hodgkin disease
morphologically ;
neoplastic giant cells
RS cells - reactive lymphocytes
histiocytes
granulocytes
minor fraction (1 to 5%) of the total tumor cell mass
EBV has been suspected as an etiologic agent
Patients with a history of infectious mononucleosis or with elevated
titers of antibodies against EBV antigens incur a slightly higher risk of
HD
EBV genomes and EBV-specific RNA transcripts
40% of cases of nodular sclerosis HD
60 to 70% of cases of mixed cellularity HD

* EBV infection may be one of several steps involved in the pathogenesis of HD

 Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
endemic in
Southern China
some parts of Africa
Arctic Eskimos
100% contain EBV DNA
EBV plays a role in the genesis of this tumor
restricted geographic distribution
viral integration in the host cells is clonal
antibody titers to viral capsid antigens are greatly elevated
in endemic areas patients develop IgA antibodies before the
appearance of the tumor