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Biomedical subjects

B Brichacek

Publications and source records attributed to B Brichacek.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Thymic lesions in fatal infectious mononucleosis.

Thymic lesions were studied in 35 patients with fatal infectious mononucleosis (FIM) including 21 males with the X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome (XLP) and 14 non-XLP patients. Six patterns based on the lymphocyte content and status of Hassall's bodies were observed: massive lymphoproliferation effaced the architecture and Hassall's bodies (HB) in 6 cases. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-laden B cells surrounded by cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells were found in one of these cases. Only 5 of the 35 thymuses contained normal-appearing HB. Seven showed a moderate reduction in HB. Rarely, multinucleated giant cells and hyaline globules were seen where one might expect HB to reside. Plasma cells and macrophages were generally abundant. Eight displayed a marked depletion of HB. In 7, no HB were recognized. Massive necrosis was seen in one of these cases. Stress involution was encountered in only two patients, both of whom had sporadic fatal IM. Thymic lesions and alterations were similar but less extensive in sporadic FIM. These morphological studies, taken in context with clinical and experimental reports, suggest that destruction of thymic epithelium may contribute to the progression of immune defects seen in XLP following EBV infection. The destruction of HB that we observed was similar in appearance to lesions in several other immune deficiency disorders.

Age Factors↗

[Detection of Epstein-Barr virus nucleic acid sequences in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma].

Tumor tissue specimens of 25 patients with various entities of Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas were examined for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nucleic acids and EBV nuclear antigens (EBNA) by in situ hybridization and anticomplement immunofluorescence. In tumor cells of five patients EBV nucleic acid and EBNA were demonstrated. The histopathologic examinations revealed in these cases one Burkitt's lymphoma, two centroblastic lymphomas and each one lymphoplasmocytic and lymphocytic lymphoma.

Adolescent↗

X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome provides clues to the pathogenesis of Epstein-Barr virus-induced lymphomagenesis.

X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP) is a rare genetic syndrome that continues to serve as a useful model to understand more broadly the role of immunodeficiency and the pathogenetic mechanisms for the spectrum of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-induced diseases to which XLP is predisposed. Apart from XLP, EBV infection is related to the high frequency of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in children with various primary immune deficiency diseases and in allograft recipients. More recently, EBV has been implicated in several lymphoproliferative diseases in individuals with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Studies thus far on patients with XLP suggest that immune deficiency is a major determinant of these diseases. Additional molecular aberrations must be necessary in the pathogenesis of lymphoma to convert polyclonal to monoclonal disease.

Female↗

Pulmonary angiitis with atypical lymphoreticular infiltrates in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome: possible relationship of lymphomatoid granulomatosis and EBV infection.

We describe a 12-year-old boy with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome who developed a pulmonary vasculitis associated with lymphoreticular proliferation, consistent with the histological and clinical diagnosis of lymphomatoid granulomatosis. The lesions were responsive to cyclophosphamide and steroids. The patient has had severely depressed immune function and was shown to have abnormal Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific cellular and humoral immune responses. Lymph nodes obtained at autopsy were positive for EBV genome. In this patient, reactivated EBV infection resulting from impaired immune surveillance of the virus may have been responsible for the development of this paraneoplastic disorder.

Child↗

Viral DNA sequences in human cytomegalovirus transformed hamster cell line at low passage levels.

The characteristics of a human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) transformed syrian hamster cell line (87-TRH-5) were examined. The cytomegalovirus DNA (HCMV-DNA) labelled in vitro by nick translation was used as a probe to detect viral DNA sequences in the 87-TRH-5 line. Cytomegalovirus specified DNA sequences were detected in cells examined up to passage 58, but were undetectable at higher passage levels. Six clones were derived from the 28th passage of 87-TRH-5 cells and examined for HCMV-DNA sequences. Various amounts of HCMV-DNA were found. A tumour induced by passage 28 cells contained no detectable HCMV-DNA sequences.

Animals↗