Hepatosplenic Gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma associated with Epstein-Barr virus

Abstract

Hepatosplenic gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL) is a rare, aggressive subset of peripheral T-cell lymphoma. It has been reported that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection can cause HSTCL; however, such cases are extremely rare, with only a few cases having been reported to date. We herein report an autopsy case of HSTCL associated with EBV infection. The presence of EBV infection was confirmed in serum EBV DNA and on in-situ hybridization, and cytotoxic molecules, such as granzyme B, perforin and T-cell intracytoplasmic antigen (TIA)-1, were all positive in lymphoma cells. These findings indicate that stimulation of persistent EBV infection may have caused HSTCL in this patient.