Epstein Barr virus in relation to apoptosis markers and patients outcome in pediatric B-cell Non Hodgkin lymphoma.

CHABAY PAOLA; LARA JULIA; LORENZETTI MARIO ALEJANDRO; CAMBRA PAOLA; ACOSTA HAAB G; AVERSA LUIS; DE MATTEO ELENA; PRECIADO MARIA VICTORIA

CANCER LETTERS

ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD

Año: 2011 vol. 307 p. 221 - 226

0304-3835

In this study, we investigated Epstein Barr virus (EBV) presence, associated to proliferation and apoptosis proteins in pediatric B-cell Non Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). EBERs, Ki67, active caspase 3, Bax and Bcl2 were analyzed on B-NHL tissue from 40 patients. Forty percent showed EBV expression, significantly higher among patients older than 10 years (P=0.027), and associated with immunosuppression (P=0.020), but not associated apotosis markers. However, EBV was associated with a worse event-free survival (P=0.016), particularly under immunosuppression. Even though EBV did not seem to alter apoptotic pathways, it exhibited survival disadvantage and could be an important cofactor in B-cell lymphomagenesis in younger children.