Epstein–Barr virus, a ubiquitous human herpesvirus, can induce both lytic and latent infections that result in a variety of human diseases, including lymphoproliferative disorders. The oncogenic potential of Epstein–Barr virus is related to its ability to infect and transform B lymphocytes into continuously proliferating lymphoblastoid cells. However, Epstein–Barr virus has also been implicated in the development of T/natural killer cell lymphoproliferative diseases. Epstein–Barr virus encodes a series of products that mimic several growth, transcription and anti-apoptotic factors, thus usurping control of pathways that regulate diverse homeostatic cellular functions and the microenvironment. However, the exact mechanism by which Epstein–Barr virus promotes oncogenesis and inflammatory lesion development remains unclear. Epstein–Barr virus-associated T/natural killer cell lymphoproliferative diseases often have overlapping clinical symptoms as well as histologic and immunophenotypic features because both lymphoid cell types derive from a common precursor. Accurate classification of Epstein–Barr virus-associated T/natural killer cell lymphoproliferative diseases is a prerequisite for appropriate clinical management. Currently, the treatment of most T/natural killer cell lymphoproliferative diseases is less than satisfactory. Novel and targeted therapies are strongly required to satisfy clinical demands. This review describes our current knowledge of the genetics, oncogenesis, biology, diagnosis and treatment of Epstein–Barr virus-associated T/natural killer cell lymphoproliferative diseases. The role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the proliferation of some white blood cells of the immune system is complex and needs further study. EBV causes glandular fever in humans and is also associated with a range of lymphoproliferative disorders, especially blood cancers, in which white blood cells multiply excessively. Qingqing Cai of Sun Yat-sen University in China, and colleagues in the USA have reviewed the role of EBV in the proliferation of T-cells and natural killer cells, which promotes inflammatory lesions and oncogenesis. As both types of white cell are derived from a common precursor, their activities and disorders share many characteristics. The authors consider the genetics, biology, diagnosis, and treatment of several specific lymphoproliferative disorders associated with EBV. Existing treatment options are unsatisfactory and new approaches to therapy are required.
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Cai et al. (2015) studied this question.