title: The t(2;5)-associated p80 NPM/ALK fusion protein in nodal and cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders.
abstract: A high percentage of extracutaneous CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphomas (nodal ALCL) carry a specific chromosomal translocation, t(2;5) (p23;q35), that results in abnormal expression of p80 NPM/ALK chimeric protein (p80). The protein p80 may be detected by immunohistochemistry using polyclonal (anti-p80) or monoclonal (ALK1) antibody directed against the ALK epitope. Although nodal ALCL, primary cutaneous ALCL, and lymphomatoid papulosis type A (lyp A) have similar histologic and immunohistochemical features, the expression of p80 in these cutaneous lesions has not been extensively studied. We immunostained tissues from 10 nodal ALCL, 8 primary cutaneous ALCL, 24 lyp A, and positive and negative controls using polyclonal rabbit anti-p80 and the avidin-biotin-peroxidase labeling method. Reactivity was determined by comparing staining intensity to positive controls [4 nodal ALCL with t(2;5)] and negative controls (21 non-ALCL lymphomas). Only cutaneous lesions staining positively with anti-p80 were further studied with the monoclonal antibody ALK1 and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for p80 messenger RNA. All positive controls (4/4), but none of the negative controls (0/21) nor lyp A (0/24), were immunoreactive for anti-p80. Sixty percent (6/10) of nodal ALCL and a single case (12%) of primary cutaneous ALCL were immunoreactive for anti-p80. In this exceptional cutaneous lesion, although we did not find NPM/ALK by RT-PCR, we detected strong expression of ALK using ALK1. We conclude that t(2;5) is rarely involved in the pathogenesis of cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schnitzer
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vasef
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shiota
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pulford
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Headington
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Singleton
mesh_terms: D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D002889:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2; D002895:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases