Malignant Lymphoma of the Thyroid and Epstein-Barr Virus

Abstract

We have investigated the specific immune response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with malignant lymphoma of the thyroid. Coculture of PBMC and EBV resulted in EBV cell transformation and regression which was assayed by an EBVinduced B cell focus-regression assay technique. The EBV had been isolated from mouthwash samples. The specific immune response to EBV by outgrowth inhibition in PBMC from untreated EBV-seropositive patients with malignant lymphoma was significantly decreased when compared to PBMC from EBVseropositive healthy subjects (p<0.05). This observation is at least consistent with the possibility that B-cell proliferation after continuous or recurrent EBV infection could be a causative factor or may potentiate malignant lymphoma of the thyroid. © 1989, The Japan Endocrine Society. All rights reserved.