title: Cytokine expression in primary cutaneous germinal center cell lymphomas.
abstract: Physiologically, B-lymphocytes are not present in the skin. Even in pathological situations they rarely occur. In contrast, primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (CBCL) are characterized by proliferation of B lymphocytes within the skin. This suggests the existence of a certain microenvironment supporting homing and expansion of clonal B cells. Cytokines were demonstrated to be involved in the pathogenesis of cutaneous lymphomas of T-cell origin. Cytokine expression in cutaneous B-cell lymphoma lesions, however, has not been investigated so far. Therefore, the mRNA level of several cytokines was analyzed in biopsies from 7 patients with CBCL and compared to pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma (n = 6), psoriasis (n = 9), and healthy skin (n = 7), using a competitive RT-PCR approach. An overexpression of TNF-alpha, IL-10, and IL-6 was found. Enhanced IL-8 mRNA expression was detected in 2/7 cases. The overexpression of IL-6 and IL-10 in CBCL might be of particular importance, since these cytokines are considered to support B-cell growth. Additionally, the overexpression of IL-10 may contribute to tumor progression since this immunosuppressive cytokine might be involved in downregulation of immunological tumor surveillance, in part by inhibiting type 1 cytokine formation. In fact, we did not detect IFN-gamma and IL-2 expression. Taken together, we found a cytokine pattern in CBCL lesions which might contribute to tumor B-cell growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical School Charité, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asadullah
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gellrich
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haeussler-Quade
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Döcke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jahn
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sterry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000235:genetics; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10