Demonstration of light chain mRNA in Hodgkin's disease.
The lineage of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells is still unclear. Detection of both immunoglobulin light chains in Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells by immunohistochemistry is a well-known phenomenon. However, up to now, in situ hybridization techniques have failed to demonstrate light chain messenger(m) RNA in Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells. In this investigation, we have analysed 26 cases of Hodgkin's disease (nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's disease, mixed cellularity, and nodular sclerosis type) using digoxigenin-labelled oligonucleotide probes for kappa and lambda light chains by in situ hybridization. In nearly half of the cases of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's disease and in one case of mixed cellularity type, mRNA for only one light chain could be clearly demonstrated in the lymphocytic and histiocytic cells, Hodgkin, and Reed-Sternberg cells. These results support the idea that at least some cases of Hodgkin's disease are B-cell neoplasms.
Hell
K
K
Department of Pathology, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany.
Pringle
J H
JH
Hansmann
M L
ML
Lorenzen
J
J
Colloby
P
P
Lauder
I
I
Fischer
R
R
D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D016539:Reed-Sternberg Cells / Q000276:immunology
D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm