Primary central nervous system malignant non–Hodgkin's lymphomas from HIV-infected and non-infected patients:expression of cellular surface proteins and Epstein-Barr viral markers

The increased incidence of primary central nervous system malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (PCNSL) in HIV- and non-HIV-infected patients and the demonstration of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in these tumours may indicate relationships between PCNSL and EBV, Consequently expression of EBV-induced antigens and cellular markers were studied in 11 HIV-infected and seven non-infected patients by in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunocytochemistry in monoclonal B cell PCNSL. In HIV-infected patients EBV genome was present in 9/11 cases, LMP in 11/11 cases and EBNA2 in 10/11 cases. The expression of adhesion and activation molecules was low or absent. In HIV non-infected patients, EBV genome was present in 5/7 cases, with LMP in 4/7 cases