HHV-8 is associated with a plasmablastic variant of Castleman disease that is linked to HHV-8–positive plasmablastic lymphoma

Abstract

Castleman disease (CD) is a lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology that is associated with the development of secondary tumors, including B-cell lymphoma. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) (Kaposi's sarcoma–associated herpesvirus) sequences have been described in some cases of multicentric Castleman disease (MCD). Using a monoclonal antibody against an HHV-8–latent nuclear antigen, we show that HHV-8 is specifically associated with a variant of MCD in which HHV-8–positive plasmablasts that show λ light-chain restriction localize in the mantle zone of B-cell follicles and coalesce to form microscopic lymphomas in some cases. Furthermore, we show that the frank plasmablastic lymphoma that develops in patients with this plasmablastic variant of MCD is also positive for HHV-8 and λ light chain. Plasmablastic lymphoma associated with MCD is a new disease entity associated with HHV-8 infection.