Detection of the expression of the Epstein-Barr virus latent gene product in Hodgkin's lymph nodes by immunostaining. Comparison between paraffin sections and imprints.

The latent membrane protein (LMP) of Epstein-Barr virus can be detected by an immunostaining method in about 50% of Hodgkin's disease lymph node tumour cells on frozen sections. The same method had been successfully employed on paraffin-embedded (PE) sections. We used this immunostaining method on imprints (IP) and PE sections of 26 Hodgkin's lymph nodes. Overall, there were 11 LMP-positive cases; immunostaining was stronger in IP than in PE samples; in nine cases both IP and PE samples were LMP-positive; in two, imprints were LMP-positive when PE sections were LMP-negative.