Expression of classical protein kinase C subspecies in non-neoplastic lymphocytes and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: an immunohistochemical study.
It is generally accepted that phosphorylation plays a pivotal role in the cellular response of cell differentiation and proliferation. Immunohistochemical expression of classical protein kinase C (cPKC) subspecies (alpha, beta and gamma) in eight reactive lymphoid tissues, three normal spleens and 149 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas was examined. cPKC beta was observed primarily in the mantle zone B cells, but appeared as very faint staining in Ki-67 positive proliferated B cells in the germinal centers of secondary lymph follicles. In contrast to the reactive state, high levels of cPKC subspecies were recognized in the majority of 149 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, including those thought to have arisen from germinal center cells such as follicular lymphoma. The expression of cPKC alpha was found in higher frequency in T cell lymphomas than B cell lymphomas (P < 0.01) by the Chi-squared test. High levels of cPKC alpha were present only in high grade or highly aggressive lymphomas, showing the highest incidence in the small non-cleaved cell type, according to the International Working Formulation and National Cancer Institute (P < 0.01). cPKC gamma was not detected in normal lymphoid cells and was expressed in only four cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. It is presumed that cPKC alpha and beta have a relationship to cell activation and proliferation of lymphoid cells of reactive and neoplastic states. It might be considered that the expression of cPKC alpha may have a relationship with aggressiveness in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
Hojo
H
H
First Department of Pathology, Fukushima Medical College, Japan.
Morimura
Y
Y
Abe
M
M
Wakasa
H
H
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology*
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D011493:Protein Kinase C