Absence of cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus expression in labial salivary glands of patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease
Mariette, X.; Cazals-Hatem, D.; Agbalika, F.; Selimi, F.; Brunet, M.; Morinet, F.; Gluckman, E.
Bone Marrow Transplantation 17(4): 607-610
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0268-3369 PMID: 8722363 Document Number: 457937
We investigated in 15 consecutive patients a possible correlation between expression of CMV or EBV in labial salivary gland (LSG) biopsies performed 100 days after allogeneic BMT and subsequent development of chronic GVHD. Three techniques were performed for the detection of each virus: immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and PCR. Eleven patients developed chronic GVHD. Histologic examination detected a moderate lymphoid infiltrate (grade 1 according to Sale's score) in LSG biopsy in only one patient. CMV genes or proteins could not be detected in any patients. Likewise, EBV genome or proteins were not detected by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. However, in three of the 15 patients, EBV DNA was detected by PCR in LSG biopsies. Only one of these three patients developed chronic GVHD. Therefore, at the present time, the presence of a lymphoid infiltrate on lip biopsies performed at day 100 post-BMT does not appear to be sensitive enough for the diagnosis or the prediction of the subsequent development of chronic GVHD. Moreover, the absence of EBV and CMV expression in a day-100 LSG biopsy does not preclude the development of chronic GVHD.