Detection of EBV genomes in plasmablasts/plasma cells and non-B cells in the blood of most patients with EBV lymphoproliferative disorders by using Immuno-FISH.

ABSTRACT: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is present in B cells in the blood of healthy people; few studies have looked for EBV in other cell types in blood from patients with lymphoproliferative disorders. We use a new technique combining immunofluorescent cell-surface staining and fluorescent in situ hybridization to quantify both EBV copy number per cell and cell types in blood from patients with high EBV DNA loads. In addition to CD20(+) B cells, EBV was present in plasmablast/plasma cells in the blood of 50% of patients, in monocytes or T cells in a small proportion of patients, and in "non-B, non-T, non-monocytes" in 69% of patients. The mean EBV copy number in B cells was significantly higher than in plasmablast/plasma cells. There was no correlation between EBV load and virus copy number per cell.

SUBMITTER: Calattini S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2996115 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature