Molecular and virologic characteristics of lymphoid malignancies in children with AIDS

• Published in: Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) Vol. 23; no. 2; p. 152
• Main Authors: McClain, K L, Leach, C T, Jenson, H B, Joshi, V V, Pollock, B H, Hutchison, R E, Murphy, S B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.02.2000
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - complications; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - genetics; Adult; Child; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Female; Genes, Immunoglobulin; Genes, myc; Herpesvirus 4, Human - isolation & purification; HIV - isolation & purification; Humans; Leukemia, B-Cell - complications; Lymphoma, AIDS-Related - complications; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone - genetics; Male; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational
• ISSN: 1525-4135
• DOI: 10.1097/00042560-200002010-00007

To characterize AIDS-associated lymphoid malignancies in children. We studied lymphomas and B-cell leukemias from 25 children with AIDS for immunoglobulin heavy chain gene clonality, c-myc oncogene abnormalities, and presence of HIV and Epstein-Barr virus. Monoclonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements were identified in 22 of 23 cases tested, the single exception being one of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. Immunoglobulin gene/c-myc translocations were found in 3 of 4 cases of B (surface immunoglobulin-positive)-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 8 of 11 small noncleaved cell lymphomas, and 1 of 5 large cell lymphomas. Mutations of c-myc were found in 2 of 13 small noncleaved cell lymphomas, 1 of 2 Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue neoplasms, and 1 of 4 Epstein-Barr virus-negative B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Six small noncleaved cell lymphomas, both mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue neoplasms and one of large cell lymphoma had high levels of Epstein-Barr virus in tumor tissue. Hodgkin's disease tissue and B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia tumors were negative for EBV. Proviral HIV-1 was not detected in any tumor. AIDS-associated lymphoid malignancies in children appear to have a different distribution of histologic subtypes than adult HIV-infected individuals, fewer large cell lymphomas occur in children. The small noncleaved cell lymphomas exhibit a lower frequency as well as different locations of c-myc mutations than AIDS-associated small noncleaved cell lymphomas in adults.