Detection of EBV mRNA in nodular sclerosis type of Hodgkin's disease using in situ hybridization with EBER 1 and EBER 2 probes with regard to the immunophenotype of Reed-Sternberg cells.

Hodgkin's disease (HD) is a heterogenous disorder in terms of morphology, immunophenotype, genotype and association with viruses. Seroepidemiologic, immunohistochemical and molecular studies suggest that Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of HD. We used in situ hybridization (ISH) with digoxigenin-labeled EBER 1 and EBER2 probes to examine a series of 28 lymph node specimens from untreated patients from Poland with the nodular sclerosis NS 1 and NS 2 subtypes of HD to detect EBV mRNA in Reed-Sternberg cells (RSC), or in small non-neoplastic lymphocytes called "bystander cell" (ByC). EBV mRNA was detected in 12 of 28 cases (32.1%). Furthermore, the expression of Latent Membrane Protein (LMP) of EBV strongly correlated with expression of EBER 1 and EBER 2 in RSC but not in "bystander cells", which were LMP negative. The correlation between EBV status and immunophenotype of RSC are discussed.