Human herpesvirus 7 detection by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction in primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas and healthy subjects: lack of a pathogenic role

Summary Background Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphomas where the tumour population emerges within a multiple subclone pattern. Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS) are characterized by the expansion of clonal CD4+/CD45RO+ memory T cells. Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) is a chronic, lymphoproliferative disorder included in the CD30+ primary CTCL spectrum. Several studies have suggested a role of viral infection for super-antigenic activation of T lymphocytes; however, evidence of their association with CTCLs is still lacking. Human herpesvirus (HHV) 7 is a CD4+ T-lymphotropic herpesvirus; its restricted cellular tropism and the ability to induce cytokine production in infected cells could make it an important pathogenic cofactor in lymphoproliferative disorders. Objectives To investigate the presence of HHV7 DNA on CTCL and healthy skin donors (HD). Methods We used quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction to evaluate the potential pathogenic role of HHV7. Results Twenty-seven of 84 (32·1%) HD were positive for HHV7 DNA. Twenty-one of 148 (14·2%) patients with CTCLs were positive for HHV7 DNA: nine of 39 (23·1%) SS, six of 14 (42·9%) CD30+ CTCLs and six of 24 (25·0%) LyP, and HHV7 DNA was negative in all 71 patients with MF. Conclusions These results seem to exclude a pathogenic role of HHV7 in CTCLs, suggesting the possibility of skin as a latency site.