title: Expression of DNA mismatch repair proteins in transformed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: relationship to smoking.
abstract: It has been hypothesized that defects in DNA-mismatch repair are associated with smoking in certain types of transformed non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We have analyzed biopsy samples from two indolent B-cell lymphomas, follicular lymphoma (FL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic leukemia (CLL/SLL), that have transformed to diffuse-large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We correlated the presence or absence of DNA-mismatch repair enzymes by immunostaining as well as the p53 status to smoking history. Of all patients (n = 30), 37% showed negative immunostaining of MLH1, 16% showed negative immunostaining of MSH2 and 63% had p53 mutations and/or protein expression. Eighteen out of 20 transformed follicular lymphomas and seven out of 10 CLL/SLL that have transformed to DLBCL (Richter's syndrome) were informative for smoking histories. We found that the relative risk of negative immunostaining for either MLH1 or MSH2 was 2.2 times higher in smokers than non-smokers (relative risk = 2.2041, 95% confidence interval: 0.89714, 5.41491). No direct correlation was found between smoking and the mutations in the p53 gene. These results suggest that cigarette smoking may play a role in the development of transformed lymphomas through defective mismatch repair.
authors.affiliation: Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Suvobroto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nandi
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Angelika M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.forename: Line S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Reinert
authors.forename: Ronald B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gartenhaus
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000378:metabolism; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1; D051718:MutS Homolog 2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012907:Smoking; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; C501486:MLH1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C497172:MSH2 protein, human; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1; D051718:MutS Homolog 2 Protein