Immunohistochemical detection of CD30 remains negative in nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease using enhanced antigen retrieval.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to confirm that CD30 is reproducibly negative in cases of nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease (nLPHD), and its relationship to further antibody targets for the distinction of L&H cells from classical Hodgkin's and Reed-Sternberg cells.


RESULTS
We examined 16 cases of nLPHD from two centres in the UK to characterize immunohistochemically L&H cells for CD30, EMA, J-chain and Oct2, using different methods of antigen retrieval, antigen amplification and antigen detection systems. Two cases could not be stained with J-chain and Oct2. All cases were negative for CD30 following manual and automated staining. Only one case became positive for EMA after manual staining using tyramide amplification. J-chain and Oct2 were negative in all cases following manual staining. J-chain showed a positive result of variable degree in all but one case using automated Dako ChemMate amplification system staining. Oct2 demonstrated a positive, albeit variable, staining pattern in all cases following automated staining.


CONCLUSIONS
CD30 remains negative in L&H cells of nLPHD using enhanced antigen retrieval and can therefore reliably be used to distinguish nLPHD from classical Hodgkin's disease. The value of EMA in the diagnosis of nLPHD remains uncertain, as it does not reproducibly mark L&H cells, even after the use of enhanced antigen retrieval. J-chain and Oct2 appear to be useful markers in the diagnosis of nLPHD using enhanced immunostaining and should therefore be included in lymphoma panels. Automated enhanced staining, using standardized protocols, precoated slides and the full system of prepared reagents, further diminishes the occurrence of errors associated with manual staining, and thereby improves confidence and reliability in diagnosing nLPHD.
Roberts
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C
Department of Pathology, Medical School, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK.
Jack
F
F
Angus
B
B
Reid
A
A
Thompson
W D
WD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000941:Antigens; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen