Macular Amyloidosis and Epstein-Barr Virus

Background: Amyloidosis is extracellular precipitation of eosinophilic hyaline matter of self-origin with special staining features and fibrillar ultrastructure. This disorder can occur in a background of systemic diseases or may be confined to the skin. Macular amyloidosis is limited to the skin, and several factors have been proposed for its pathogenesis. Detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in this lesion suggests that this virus can play a role in pathogenesis of this disease. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between EBV and macular amyloidosis using PCR technique.Methods: Beta globin gene PCR was conducted on 38 paraffin-embedded tissue samples with a diagnosis of macular amyloidosis (case group) and 38 healthy skin samples in the margin of removed melanocytic nevi (control group). EBV DNA was then detected in these samples using PCR.Results: Beta globin gene PCR was positive in 61 out of 76 patients (30 patients in amyloidosis group and 31 patients in the control group) but was negative in 15 patients. In patients positive for beta globin gene in PCR, BLLF1 gene of EBV virus was positive in 23 patients (8 patients in macular amyloidosis group and 15 patients in the control group). There was no significant difference in presence of EBV DNA between macular amyloidosis (3.8%) and control groups (23.8%) (p=0.08).Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that EBV is not involved in pathogenesis of macular amyloidosis.

کلیدواژه ها:

Macular Amyloidosis ، Epstein-Barr virus ، Polymerase Chain Reaction