Anaplastic large cell lymphomas lack the expression of T-cell receptor molecules or molecules of proximal T-cell receptor signaling.
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) designates a heterogeneous group of CD30(+) (systemic or primary cutaneous) peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs). A subgroup of systemic ALCL is transformed by anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). We compared 24 ALK(+), 15 ALK(-) systemic, and 7 cutaneous ALCLs with 29 nonanaplastic PTCLs in terms of T-cell receptor (TCR) rearrangements, expression of TCRs and TCR-associated molecules (CD3, ZAP-70 [zeta-associated protein 70]). Despite their frequent clonal rearrangement for TCRbeta, only 2 (4%) of 47 ALCLs expressed TCRbeta protein, whereas TCRs were detected on 27 of 29 nonanaplastic PTCLs. Moreover, both TCRbeta(+) ALCLs lacked CD3 and ZAP-70 (ie, molecules indispensable for the transduction of cognate TCR signals). Defective expression of TCRs is a common characteristic of all types of ALCL, which may contribute to the dysregulation of intracellular signaling pathways controlling T-cell activation and survival. This molecular hallmark of ALCL is analogous to defective immunoglobulin expression distinguishing Hodgkin lymphoma from other B-cell lymphomas.
Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, Germany.
Irina
I
Bonzheim
Eva
E
Geissinger
Sabine
S
Roth
Andreas
A
Zettl
Alexander
A
Marx
Andreas
A
Rosenwald
Hans Konrad
HK
Müller-Hermelink
Thomas
T
Rüdiger
D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase
D017252:CD3 Complex; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; C497261:ZAP70 protein, human