All infiltrating T-lymphocytes in Hodgkin's disease express immunohistochemically detectable T-cell receptor zeta-chains in situ.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the expression of TCR zeta-chain on tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes in EBV-positive and EBV-negative cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD), to assess whether downregulation of TCR zeta-chain on tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes might be a mechanism for immune escape of the neoplastic cells.


RESULTS
By immunohistochemistry we investigated tissue of 27 cases of primary HD, both paraffin embedded and frozen, for the presence of T-cell receptor complex zeta-chain and other T-cell markers on the reactive cells. Strong membranous staining of TCR zeta-chain was present in all cases in frozen tissue. In contrast, in paraffin-embedded material substantial loss of TCR zeta-chain was detected in old (> 6 years) tissues. However, no differences in either the number of positive cells or their staining intensity were observed in EBV-positive and negative cases of HD as detected in frozen tissue. Storage of paraffin-embedded tissue leads to a rapid and substantial loss of TCR zeta-chain reactivity compared to frozen material of the same HD cases. Staining reactivity of other T-cell markers (CD3, CD4 and CD8) on paraffin-embedded material remained unaffected. Immunofluorescent double-staining confirmed colocalization and coexpression of TCR zeta-chain and CD3.


CONCLUSIONS
In frozen biopsies of primary HD TCR zeta-chain was expressed on all reactive CD3-positive cells, both in EBV-positive and EBV-negative cases. This suggests that zeta-chain downregulation is not a likely mechanism whereby neoplastic cells of HD can escape immune surveillance.
Dukers
D F
DF
Department of Pathology, Academic Hospital, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands. d.dukers@azvu.nl
Oudejans
J J
JJ
Jaspars
E H
EH
Gras
M
M
Vos
W
W
Middeldorp
J M
JM
Meijer
C J
CJ
Bloemena
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000592:standards
D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; C054979:antigen T cell receptor, zeta chain