Nader Bayda, PhD student supervised by Prof. Sylvie Rogez, just published his 1st article in the section Epstein-Barr Virus Infection in Cancer, concernning the analysis of comprehensive Epstein-Barr Virus Transcriptome by RNA-Sequencing in Angioimmunoblastic T Cell Lymphoma (AITL) and Other Lymphomas.
This work falls within the research themes of the team Molecular mechanisms of lymphomagenesis headed by prof. Jean Feuillard.

Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is probably the most common peripheral T-cell lymphoma. This pathology, although rare, is more common in Europe than in other regions. This lymphoma has a poor prognosis. AITL is very commonly associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) although the virus is not often found in neoplastic T cells but rather in adjacent B cells.

The objective of this work was to study the transcriptome of EBV in AITLs comparatively to other EBV-associated lymphomas and to compare the results with those obtained for cell lines. We showed in AITLs a strong expression of Bam-HI A rightward transcripts (BARTs) more expressed than in the other lymphomas and especially than in cell lines. BARTs can participate in tumor development.

Nader also showed a latency IIc in AITLs with the expression of BNLF2a and BCRF1 genes which may participate in the survival of infected cells. These results support the involvement of EBV in AITLs.

Full text link : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7913808/