Although molecular events in the neoplastic transformation of B-cells are not well understood, Epstein-Barr virus infection and bcl-2 protein overexpression have been postulated to have etiologic roles in some lymphomas.
Our data imply that EBV infection would upregulate expression of bcl-2 protein to protect cells from c-myc-induced apoptosis, and to allow c-myc to exert its oncogenic functions (Vaux et al.1988; Brito-Babapulle et al.1991; Bissonnette et al.1992; Fanidi et al.1992; Karsan et al.1993; Mohammad et al.1993; Oltvai et al.1993; Marin et al.1995).
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possibility of similar correlation between bcl-2 expression and EBV infection in vivo in a cohort of patients with aggressive NHL, who were uniformly evaluated and treated with effective chemotherapy.
To evaluate the expression of c-myc and bcl-2 oncogene products in Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin's disease, especially in relation to Epstein-Barr virus infection and expression of EBV encoded latent membrane protein (LMP).
We conclude that in RA patients with MTX-BLPD, EBV infection is associated with a lower incidence of CIMP, apoptosis-related gene hypermethylation, and BCL2 expression, which can induce tumor regression by MTX withdrawal and lead to better prognoses.