CD40 ligand is constitutively expressed in a subset of T cell lymphomas and on the microenvironmental reactive T cells of follicular lymphomas and Hodgkin's disease.
Although CD40 has been extensively studied in B- and T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs)/leukemias, and more recently in Hodgkin's disease (HD), little is known about the expression of its ligand (CD40L) in lymphoproliferative disorders other than T-cell NHLs/leukemias. A series of 121 lymphoma/leukemia samples, including 35 cases of HD, 34 T-cell and 39 B-cells NHLs, 2 cases of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, and 11 cases of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, were evaluated for CD40L expression by immunostaining of frozen tissue sections and flow cytometry with the anti-CD40L monoclonal antibody M90. CD40L was constitutively expressed by neoplastic cells in 15 of 36 (42%) T-cell NHLs/adult T-cell leukemia/lymphomas, almost invariably those displaying the CD4+/CD8- phenotype, whereas no CD40L-expressing tumor cells could be found in B-cell NHL and HD. Among T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias, CD40L was detected only on 2 cases displaying a stem-cell-like phenotype. In follicular B-cell lymphomas a large number of CD40L-expressing CD3+/CD4+ T lymphocytes were found admixed with tumor cells within the neoplastic follicles and in their surrounding areas. In the nonfollicular B-cell lymphomas, CD40L-positive CD3+/CD4+ T lymphocytes were few or absent. In all HD subtypes other than the nodular lymphocytic predominance, CD40L-expressing CD3+/CD4+ T lymphocytes were numerous in the HD-involved areas and were mainly located in close proximity to the Reed-Sternberg cells. Our data indicate that in human lymphomas CD40L is preferentially expressed by a restricted subset of T-cell lymphomas, mostly with CD4 immunophenotype. Finally, we have provided morphological evidence that CD40L may play an important role in the cell contact-dependent interaction of tumor B-cells (CD40+) within the neoplastic follicles or Reed-Sternberg cells (CD40+) in HD-involved areas and the microenvironmental CD3+/CD4+/CD40L+ T lymphocytes.
Carbone
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Division of Pathology, Istituto Nazionale di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Aviano, Italy.
Gloghini
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Gruss
H J
HJ
Pinto
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D000328:Adult; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007938:Leukemia / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000378:metabolism*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000378:metabolism; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*
D019013:CD40 Antigens; D008024:Ligands