Plasmablastic lymphomas show restricted EBV latency profile and gene aberrations.

The pathogenesis of plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) involves the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and gene aberrations. We aimed to determine the EBV latent infection pattern and frequency of gene aberrations in PBLs. Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies for EBNA1, EBNA2, and LMP1 while fluorescence hybridization was performed using a probe. The patient cohort comprised 49 adult cases (44 were HIV-positive and three were HIV-negative). Forty-one cases were EBV-positive with 11 EBNA1-positive cases, all cases EBNA2-negative, and four LMP1-positive cases. Latency 0 was determined in 29 cases, latency I in eight cases, and latency II in four cases. The gene was rearranged in eight cases, showed copy number alterations in 11 cases and, no rearrangement in 11 cases. This is the largest cohort of PBLs from South Africa to show a predominantly restricted EBV latency pattern with gene aberrations as a common finding.