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Infection with Neoehrlichia mikurensis promotes the development of malignant B-cell lymphomas |
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| Authors: | Christine Wennerås Alaitz Aranburu Linda Wass Anna Grankvist Anna Staffas Anastasia Soboli Inga-Lill Mårtensson Linda Fogelstrand Catharina Lewerin |
| Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden;2. Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden;3. Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden Department of Clinical Microbiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden;4. Department of Clinical Microbiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden;5. Department of Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden;6. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden;7. Department of Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden;8. Department of Hematology and Coagulation, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden |
| Abstract: | The tick-borne pathogen Neoehrlichia (N.) mikurensis is implicated in persistent infection of the vascular endothelium. B cells are crucial for the host defence to this infection. Chronic stimulation of B cells may result in B-cell transformation and lymphoma. Five patients with malignant B-cell lymphoma and concomitant N. mikurensis infection were investigated regarding clinical picture, lymphoma subtype, B-cell lymphoma immunophenotype and IGHV (variable region of the immunoglobulin heavy) gene repertoire. Three of the five patients improved markedly and ceased lymphoma treatment after doxycycline treatment to eliminate N. mikurensis. Sequencing the B-cell lymphoma IGHV genes revealed preferred usage of the IGHV1 (IGHV1-2, and -69) and IGHV3 (IGHV3-15, -21, -23) families. In conclusion, N. mikurensis infection may drive the development of malignant B-cell lymphomas. Eradication of the pathogen appears to induce remission with apparent curing of the lymphoma in some cases. |
| Keywords: | immunoglobulin genes infection lymphomas Neoehrlichia mikurensis tick-borne disease |