HHVs AND LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDERS

• Published in: Mediterranean journal of hematology and infectious diseases Vol. 3; no. 1; p. e2011043
• Main Authors: Quadrelli, C, Barozzi, P, Riva, G, Luppi, Mario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mattioli1885 24-10-2011
• Subjects: Viral Infections , HHVs Infection; Virus Infections
• ISSN: 2035-3006; 2035-3006
• DOI: 10.4084/mjhid.2011.043

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a γ herpesvirus well recognized to be involved in the development of human B (Hodgkin and non Hodgkin lymphomas) and NK/T cell lymphomas, either in the general population or in the immunosuppressed individuals. The human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is another γ herpesvirus, recently recognized to be associated with the occurrence of rare B cell lymphomas and atypical lymphoproliferations, especially in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected subjects. Moreover, the human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), a β -herpesvirus, has been shown to be implicated in some non-malignant lymph node proliferations, such as the Rosai Dorfman disease and in a proportion of Hodgkin lymphoma cases. HHV-6 has a wide cellular tropism and it might play a role in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of human diseases, but given its ubiquity, disease associations are difficult to prove and its role in hematological malignancies is still controversial. The involvement of another β -herpesvirus, the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), has not yet been proven in human cancer, even though recent findings have suggested its potential role in the development of CD4 + large granular lymphocyte (LGL) lymphocytosis. Here, we review the current knowledge on the pathogenetic role of HHV-8 and human β -herpesviruses in human lymphoproliferative disorders.