Immunohistochemical demonstration of the Epstein–Barr virus‐encoded latent membrane protein in paraffin sections of Hodgkin's disease

Abstract

Paraffin sections from 46 cases of Hodgkin's disease were examined for the presence of the Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐encoded latent membrane protein (LMP) using a sensitive (double layer alkaline phosphatase–anti‐alkaline phosphatase) immunohistochemical method. LMP was detected in 22 cases, the majority of positive cases being of nodular sclerosis (12/24), mixed cellularity (6/7), and lymphocyte depletion (3/3) subtypes. Only one of 12 cases of lymphocyte predominant disease was positive. In all cases, reactivity was confined to Hodgkin's and Reed‐Sternberg cells. These results provide further evidence for an association between EBV and Hodgkin's disease and indicate that LMP may be readily detected in archival material.