title: cFLIP expression correlates with tumour progression and patient outcome in non-Hodgkin lymphomas of low grade of malignancy.
abstract: The present study investigated whether the expression of cellular Fas-associated death domain-like interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (FLICE) inhibitory protein (cFLIP) conveys prognostic information in non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs). cFLIP expression was quantified by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence in biopsy specimens from 86 NHL patients for whom clinical information was available. NHL malignancy was graded as high/intermediate or low according to the World Health Organization Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms. cFLIP was positive in 23 of 45 high-/intermediate-grade NHLs and in 25 of 41 low-grade NHLs. Negative expression of cFLIP was associated with the presence of apoptotic cells in the tumour mass, regardless of the histotype and of the malignancy grade. In NHLs positive for cFLIP, 11 of 23 (48%) high-/intermediate-grade cases and 18 of 25 (72%) low-grade cases showed a bad outcome. In NHLs negative for cFLIP, only four of 22 (18%) high-/intermediate-grade patients and 12 of 16 (75%) low-grade patients achieved complete remission. All these correlations were statistically significant. The correlation of cFLIP expression with clinical outcome was independent of therapy, whether or not it included anti-CD20 antibody (Rituximab). The present findings strongly indicate that cFLIP is a reliable predictor of tumour progression and clinical prognosis in NHLs of low grade of malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Anatomia Patologica, Universitá del Piemonte Orientale 'A. Avogadro', Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manfroi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peracchio
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicotra
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castino
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicosia
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kerim
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Isidoro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; C506386:CFLAR protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D000069283:Rituximab