The relationship of FOXP3 expression and clinicopathological characteristics in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.
Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma is an aggressive malignant disease associated with regulatory T cells as discussed in some recent reports. We analyzed the expression of FOXP3, a key molecule of regulatory T cells, in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and its association with clinicopathological features. Of 169 adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma cases examined, 60 (36%) showed FOXP3 expression in lymphoma cells. Morphologically, 22 cases were classified as anaplastic large cell variant and 147 as pleomorphic cell variant. Only 1 (5%) of the anaplastic large cell variant cases and 59/147 (40%) of the pleomorphic cell variant cases expressed FOXP3. Epstein-Barr virus-infected cells were significantly more frequently found in FOXP3(+) cases (23/60; 38%) than in FOXP3(-) cases (12/109; 11%) (P<0.0001). Cytogenetic analysis showed that FOXP3(+) cases had simpler chromosomal abnormalities than FOXP3(-) cases. Clinically, FOXP3(+) and FOXP3(-) cases did not differ significantly in age distribution, clinical stage, lactate dehydrogenase and calcium in serum and overall survival. However, 8 of 34 FOXP3(+) cases suffered a severe infectious state, an indication of immunosuppression, while only 2 of 62 FOXP3(-) cases did so (P<0.005). FOXP3 expression in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma thus reflects morphological features and is clinically and pathologically associated with an immunosuppressive state.
Karube
Kennosuke
K
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan. karube1975@yahoo.co.jp
Aoki
Ryosuke
R
Sugita
Yasuo
Y
Yoshida
Shiro
S
Nomura
Yuko
Y
Shimizu
Kay
K
Kimura
Yoshizo
Y
Hashikawa
Keiko
K
Takeshita
Morishige
M
Suzumiya
Junji
J
Utsunomiya
Atae
A
Kikuchi
Masahiro
M
Ohshima
Koichi
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors