Abstract
In order to determine whether there is an association between the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and mycosis fungoides (MF) disease progression, PCR was performed to detect the EBV status of 20 MF patients; six EBV-positive patients were found. EBV variants may differ in their biological properties, such as their ability to transform cells; therefore, the ability of these variants to immortalize B cells in vitro was analysed. Six continuously growing cell lines were obtained from prolonged cultures of unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells that were taken from the six EBV-positive patients with MF. In order to characterize the EBV strains, EBNA-2 and LMP-1/LMP-2 gene polymorphisms in the six cell lines were also analysed. All patients were followed up for 10 years and it was noticed that EBV-positive patients had a poor prognosis with rapid disease progression and high mortality rates, compared to EBV-negative patients. EBV may therefore constitute a co-factor that accelerates the progression of disease.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Aged
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Aged, 80 and over
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Amino Acid Sequence
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B-Lymphocytes / virology*
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Cell Line, Transformed
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Cell Transformation, Viral
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Cells, Cultured
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Cysteine Endopeptidases / chemistry
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Cysteine Endopeptidases / genetics
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Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism
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Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / genetics
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Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens / metabolism
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Female
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Herpesvirus 4, Human / classification
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Herpesvirus 4, Human / genetics*
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Herpesvirus 4, Human / isolation & purification
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Humans
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Mycosis Fungoides / physiopathology
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Mycosis Fungoides / virology*
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Polymorphism, Genetic*
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Viral Matrix Proteins / chemistry
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Viral Matrix Proteins / genetics
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Viral Matrix Proteins / metabolism
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Viral Proteins
Substances
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EBNA-2 protein, Human herpesvirus 4
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EBV-associated membrane antigen, Epstein-Barr virus
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Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens
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Viral Matrix Proteins
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Viral Proteins
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LMP-2 protein
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Cysteine Endopeptidases
Associated data
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GENBANK/AY495413
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GENBANK/AY495414
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GENBANK/AY495415
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GENBANK/AY495416
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GENBANK/AY495417
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GENBANK/AY495418
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GENBANK/AY495419
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GENBANK/AY495420
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GENBANK/AY495421
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GENBANK/AY495422
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GENBANK/AY495423
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GENBANK/AY495424
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GENBANK/X66863