No detection of varicella-zoster virus in temporal arteries of patients with giant cell arteritis

• Published in: Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 235 - 240
• Main Authors: Muratore, Francesco, MD, Croci, Stefania, BS, PhD, Tamagnini, Ione, BS, Zerbini, Alessandro, BS, PhD, Bellafiore, Salvatore, MD, Belloni, Lucia, BS, Boiardi, Luigi, MD, PhD, Bisagni, Alessandra, BS, Pipitone, Nicolò, MD, PhD, Parmeggiani, Maria, BS, Cavazza, Alberto, MD, Salvarani, Carlo, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.10.2017
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Giant cell arteritis; Giant Cell Arteritis - virology; Herpesvirus 3, Human - isolation & purification; Humans; Infection; Male; Middle Aged; Rheumatology; Temporal Arteries - virology; Temporal arteritis; Temporal artery biopsy; Varicella-zoster virus; Varicella zoster virus; Infection; Giant cell arteritis; Temporal artery biopsy; Temporal arteritis; Varicella-zoster virus
• ISSN: 0049-0172; 1532-866X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2017.02.005

Abstract Objective Data on the presence of Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in temporal arteries of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) are controversial. We analyzed VZV infection in temporal arteries from Italian patients with temporal artery biopsy (TAB) positive GCA, TAB-negative GCA and controls. Methods A total of 79 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) TABs performed between 2009 and 2012 at a single institution from 34 TAB-positive GCA patients, 15 TAB-negative GCA patients and 30 controls were retrieved. Six 5-μm sections of all FFPE TABs were cut. The first section was analyzed by immunohistochemistry using mouse monoclonal anti-VZVgE IgG1 antibody. DNA was extracted from the remaining 5 sections and analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of VZV DNA. For 10 of the 34 TAB-positive GCA patients an additional 2 mm piece of frozen TAB was available. DNA was extracted from the entire 2 mm length frozen specimen and analyzed by PCR for the presence of VZV DNA. 30 additional 5-μm sections were cut from the FFPE TABs of these 10 patients and analyzed by immunohistochemistry for the presence of VZV antigen. Results Immunohistochemical analysis detected VZV antigen in 1/34 (3%) TAB-positive GCA, 0/15 TAB-negative GCA and 0/30 controls, and in none of the 300 sections cut from the 10 FFPE TABs positive for GCA for which the frozen specimens were available. DNA obtained from all TABs was amplifiable. VZV DNA was not found in any of the FFPE TABs, nor in frozen TABs. Conclusion Our data do not support in Italian patients a possible role for VZV infection in the etiopathogenesis of GCA.