Expression of the signal transduction molecule zeta in peripheral and tumour-associated lymphocytes in Hodgkin's disease in relation to the Epstein-Barr virus status of the tumour cells.
We investigated whether the described immune evasion of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected malignant Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells in Hodgkin's disease (HD) is paralleled by a disturbed expression of the signal transduction molecule zeta associated with CD3 and CD16 in tumour-associated T lymphocytes (TAL). Flow cytometric analysis revealed a significantly lower zeta expression in CD3+/4+, CD3+/8+ and CD16+ patient peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL; n = 10) compared with normal donor PBLs (n = 11). When patient PBLs were compared with the corresponding TAL, the latter showed a significantly higher (CD3+/4+) or equal (CD3+/8+) zeta expression. The EBV status of the tumours did not correlate with zeta expression in the TAL. Immunohistochemical staining revealed zeta-positive lymphocytes among the adjacent bystander cells of the HRS cells in all analysed tumours (n = 8), irrespective of tumour EBV status. In conclusion, these results do not support downregulation of zeta in TAL as a critical mechanism contributing specifically to the immune escape of EBV+ HRS cells.
Sjöberg
Jan
J
Department of Medicine, Pathology and Oncology, Radiumhemmet, Karolinska Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. jan.sjoberg@ks.se
Andersson
Margareta
M
Garcia
Carlos
C
Palucka
Karolina A
KA
Björkholm
Magnus
M
Porwit-MacDonald
Anja
A
Pisa
Pavel
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000276:immunology; D016539:Reed-Sternberg Cells / Q000276:immunology
D017252:CD3 Complex; C121704:CD3 antigen, zeta chain; D017452:Receptors, IgG