Epstein–Barr Viral Load is Associated to Response in AIDS-Related Lymphomas

AIDS-related lymphoma (ARL) development is associated to immunodeficiency state with proliferation of B-cells driven by HIV itself and EBV infection. However, Epstein–Barr DNA is not detected in malignant cells of all ARL subtypes. A prospective and controlled study to analyze EBV viral load (VL) in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of ARL patients was performed to analyze if Epstein–Barr VL could be related to response in these patients. Fifteen patients with ARL were included in this study with measurement of EBV VL at three different periods of time: at lymphoma diagnosis, upon completion of chemotherapy, and 3 months after. Two control groups composed by HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients were also evaluated for EBV VL comparison. In situ hybridization for EBER was performed on diagnostic samples of all ARL patients. Median EBV VL in PBMC and plasma had a significant decrease (p = 0.022 and p = 0.003, respectively) after ARL treatment. EBER was positive in 7 (46.7 %) cases. Median EBV VL in PBMC before lymphoma treatment in patients positive for EBER was significantly higher compared to EBER negative cases (p = 0.041). Reduction of EBV viral load during treatment of lymphoma could be predictive of response. EBER expression was associated to advanced stages of disease and worse immune status. Our study suggests that measurement of EBV VL during ARL treatment could be used as a marker for response, but further studies are needed to validate this association.