Subtype C1 persistent infection of HHV-8 in a PEL patient.

PEL, a rare type of lymphoma constituting less than 5% of NHLs, has been recently identified as a distinct clinical and pathological entity among the B-cell lymphomas, with characteristic morphologic, immunophenotypic, molecular and viral features. ICC, PCR, RT-PCR and sequencing were carried out in biologicals samples from a 44-year-old, non-smoker Caucasian male patient of Greek nationality, HIV-1 negative and HCV positive. The ICC results showed CD30 + , Vimentin + , EMA + , Ki67 + , Pankeratin- and negative to B and T antibodies. In addition, HHV-8 was detected in pleural fluid. Examination of blood samples of the patient over a period of nearly two years showed a persistent infection of HHV-8. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relation to the C1 variant of HHV-8. The samples was also found EBV negative by PCR. Using a combination of clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical features and molecular biology techniques in this study we document a PEL case with persistent HHV-8 of genotype C1 infection.

Systems biology of circadian-immune interactions.

There is increasing evidence that the immune system is regulated by circadian rhythms. A wide range of immune parameters, such as the number of red blood cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as the level of critical immune mediators, such as cytokines, undergo daily fluctuations. Current experimental data indicate that circadian information reaches immune tissues mainly through diurnal patterns of autonomic and endocrine rhythms. In addition, immune factors such as cytokines can also influence the phase of the circadian clock, providing bidirectional flow of circadian information between the neuroendocrine and immune systems. This network of neuroendocrine-immune interactions consists of complexly integrated molecular feedback and feedforward loops that function in synchrony in order to optimize immune response. Chronic stress can disrupt this intrinsic orchestration, as several endocrine signals of chronically stressed patients present blunted rhythmic characteristics. Reprogramming of biological rhythms has recently gained much attention as a potent method to leverage homeostatic circadian controls to ultimately improve clinical outcomes. Elucidation of the intrinsic properties of such complex systems and optimization of intervention strategies require not only an accurate identification of the signaling pathways that mediate host responses, but also a system-level description and evaluation.