ROLE OF ZEBRA PROTEIN OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS (EBV)AND ITS IMPACT ON P53 EXPRESSION IN HODGKIN,S AND NON HODGKIN,S LYMPHOMA PATIENTS

Hodgkin s lymphoma ( HL) is uncommon malignant tumor of the lymphatic system, some were shown to contain clonal, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Non Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) are associated with EBV, ZEBRA protein plays a dominant role in the switch from latent cycle to productive infection of the virus. To access the expression of ZEBRA protein in Hodgkin s and non Hodgkin s lymphoma patients and its impact on P53 expression. A total of 28 of patients newly diagnosed to have HL and NHL investigated for EBV ZEBRA protein and p53 expression by immunohistochemistry technique. p53 was expressed in 80.9% and 100% of males and females respectively. In this study ( 86.7%) of HL and 88.6%of NHL cases were p53 positive. 87.5% of mixed cellularity were p53 positive. While 83.3% intermediate grade were p53 positive .No significant difference found between p53 expression and gender, type of lymphoma but there is significant difference with histopathological type. In regard to ZEBRA protein ,it is found that all the males and females with HL and NHL cases under study showed ZEBRA positivity.Also the 16 cases of the mixed cellularity type and all the 12 cases of intermediate grade are ZEBRA positive. No significant difference found between ZEBRA expression and gender, but there is significant difference with type of lymphoma and the histopathological type. This study shows that there is interaction between ZEBRA and p53 which depend on the relative amounts of those two proteins as confirmed previously and the expression of ZEBRA protein in lymphoma reflects the immunocomprimized state of patients and confirmed that EBV contribute to the development of malignancy.