The Epstein–Barr virus and post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disease: interplay of immunosuppression, EBV, and the immune system in disease pathogenesis

Abstract: Transplant patients are at particular risk for developing post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) following administration of immunosuppressive therapy. In many cases the PTLD lesions express Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) latent and lytic genes as well as elevated levels of host cytokines. An outline of the potential contributions of EBV, host cytokines and T cells, and the immunosuppressives cyclosporine A, tacrolimus, and anti‐CD3 antibody in the mechanism and pathogenesis of this disease is presented and discussed.