30-bp deletion variant of LMP-1 gene of EBV in HIV+ patients After several years of antiretroviral therapy

Background

To evaluate the frequency of 30-bp deletion of LMP-1 gene of EBV in Hodgkin's disease (HD) and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) occurred in HIV+ patients under antiretroviral therapy.

Materials and methods

19 cases well-documented were studied using the in-house duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with probes and primers overlapping 3'end of LMP1 on DNA extracts from whole blood. The results are given on the basis of Ct calculated using a pre-determined threshold for each run of deletion and non-deletion. Quantitative real time PCR was also performed in parallel on the same DNA extracts.

Results and conclusion

Our data although preliminary show that in 14 of 19 cases (73.68%), the patients harboured the 30-bp deleted variant of EBV associated with high load (range: 3.2 log to 6.5 log cop/ml)in whole blood. In two cases, it was detected deleted and non-deleted EBV strains suggesting the possible role of selective pressure through of antiretroviral therapy distributed for several years. In 5 remaining cases (26.32%), EBV strains were of wild type but viral load was similar (range: 3.7 log to 6.8 log), as detected in 4 NHL from allografted patients. A large study is in progress for future confirmation.