Epstein-Barr virus in malignancies in renal transplant recipients in Japan

Abstract

A role for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the development of malignancies including lymphomas, and carcinoma of the stomach, nasopharynx, thymus and salivary gland is suggested. It is indicated that EBV evokes polyclonal-B-cell-proliferative diseases in immunocompromised hosts, such as transplant patients, which results in monoclonal malignant lymphomas. The suppression of immune functions in these patients is thought to lead to incomplete elimination of the cells expressing EBV latent infection genes. To examine the etiological role of EBV in the development of malignancies following renal transplant in Japan, 42 malignancies in 1744 cases of renal transplant were studied for the presence and type of EBV. The polymerase chain reaction revealed that 5 malignancies were positive for EBV, all type A: 2 of 2 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), 2 of 8 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma of the common type, and 1 of 2 cases of gastric plasmacytoma. In situ hybridization revealed positive signals in the nucleus of tumor cells in 2 cases of NHL and 1 of plasmacytoma. Positive signals were found in the small lymphoid cells but not in the tumor cells in 2 cases of gastric carcinoma. On the basis of these findings, a role for EBV in the development of malignancies in renal transplant patients is unlikely except for lymphoid neoplasias.

Malignancies in organ transplant recipients

“…The presence of the EBV genome was examined in 42 cases where malignancies had developed in renal transplant recipients. The genome was detected in LPD but not in epithelial malignancies, including gastric cancer 35 …”

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Manifest as Gingival Hyperplasia in a Renal Transplant Recipient

“…PTLDs may be the result of primary or reactivated EBV infections in a host with impaired immunity22). The EBV-positive rate in NHL is about 10%24). The major immunophenotype of PTLD is the B-cell lineage8).…”