EBV and myeloma stem cells. Chapter 2.

One thing Dr. Biswas discovered is that the subset of EBV-positive (as opposed to the EBV-negative) myeloma cells are the blasted stem cells, which have CD19 on their surface. What does that mean? Simply that we’re not talking about plasma cells here, but about B-cells that have the ability to REPRODUCE themselves, turning into plasma cells (which do not have that ability, btw). Confused? Well then, let’s have a look at something different. On page 12, Dr. Biswas discusses the 90% percentage that I mentioned in my previous post. While EBV “is benign in acute stages and latent in chronic stages […], in some cases, EBV has been demonstrated to be involved in the development of many malignancies, both hematologic and epithelial.” So EBV doesn’t normally cause any terrible mischief. but remains inactive (quiescent) once it gets inside its host cell. But, in some cases, EBV doesn’t keep sleeping like Fluffy (Harry Potter reference: Fluffy, the three-headed sleeping dog)…That is the case with myeloma, as we have seen, but it happens in other types of cancers, too, such as Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Even though it’s difficult to keep up with the technical gobbledegook, what is clear is that other factors have to be present in order for EBV to initiate the development of cancer (the image in my brain is of Fluffy waking up when the music stops…the music would be the “other factors”…). Anyway, that will be fodde...
Source: Margaret's Corner - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Blogroll Dr. Sunetra Biswas EBV myeloma Source Type: blogs