Metagenomic analysis to identify novel infectious agents in systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

TitleMetagenomic analysis to identify novel infectious agents in systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsMahale P, Nomburg J, Song JY, Steinberg M, Starrett G, Boland J, Lynch CF, Chadburn A, Rubinstein PG, Hernandez BY, Weisenburger DD, Bullman S, Engels EA
JournalInfect Agent Cancer
Volume16
Issue1
Pagination65
Date Published2021 Nov 14
ISSN1750-9378
Abstract

Systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a rare CD30-expressing T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Risk of systemic ALCL is highly increased among immunosuppressed individuals. Because risk of cancers associated with viruses is increased with immunosuppression, we conducted a metagenomic analysis of systemic ALCL to determine whether a known or novel pathogen is associated with this malignancy. Total RNA was extracted and sequenced from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor specimens from 19 systemic ALCL cases (including one case from an immunosuppressed individual with human immunodeficiency virus infection), 3 Epstein-Barr virus positive diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) occurring in solid organ transplant recipients (positive controls), and 3 breast cancers (negative controls). We used a pipeline based on the Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK)-PathSeq algorithm to subtract out human RNA reads and map the remaining RNA reads to microbes. No microbial association with ALCL was identified, but we found Epstein-Barr virus in the DLBCL positive controls and determined the breast cancers to be negative. In conclusion, we did not find a pathogen associated with systemic ALCL, but because we analyzed only one ALCL tumor from an immunosuppressed person, we cannot exclude the possibility that a pathogen is associated with some cases that arise in the setting of immunosuppression.

DOI10.1186/s13027-021-00404-0
Alternate JournalInfect Agent Cancer
PubMed ID34775986
PubMed Central IDPMC8591940
Grant ListP30 ES005605 / ES / NIEHS NIH HHS / United States
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