PLoS ONE (Jan 2014)

Germ-line transmitted, chromosomally integrated HHV-6 and classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

  • Adam J Bell,
  • Alice Gallagher,
  • Timothy Mottram,
  • Annette Lake,
  • Eleanor V Kane,
  • Tracy Lightfoot,
  • Eve Roman,
  • Ruth F Jarrett

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0112642
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 11
p. e112642

Abstract

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A unique feature of both human herpesvirus 6A and B (HHV-6A and B) among human herpesviruses is their ability to integrate into chromosomal telomeres. In some individuals integrated viral genomes are present in the germ-line and result in the vertical transmission of HHV-6; however, little is known about the disease associations of germ-line transmitted, chromosomally integrated HHV-6 (ciHHV-6). Recent publications suggest that HHV-6 is associated with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Here we examine the prevalence of ciHHV-6 in 936 cases of cHL and 563 controls by screening with a duplex TaqMan assay and confirming with droplet digital PCR. ciHHV-6 was detected in 10/563 (1.8%) controls and in all but one individual the virus was HHV-6B. Amongst cases 16/936 (1.7%) harboured ciHHV-6, thus demonstrating no association between ciHHV-6 and risk of cHL.