title: Evaluation of FoxP3 expression in peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
abstract: Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are biologically heterogeneous and have not been successfully correlated with specific T-cell subsets. We investigated PTCL, not otherwise specified (NOS), angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AILT), and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) cases for FoxP3 expression to determine a potential derivation from regulatory T (Treg) cells. One PTCL-NOS case strongly expressed FoxP3 in the neoplastic T cells and showed unusual histomorphologic features with a dense infiltration of the lymph node by immunoblastic T cells and almost no reactive background infiltrate. The patient died shortly after diagnosis, suggesting that biologic properties of Treg cells may have contributed to the rapidly fatal clinical course. All remaining PTCL-NOS and AILT cases showed FoxP3 positivity only in the reactive infiltrate. Among ALCL cases, 4 of 6 ALK+ cases displayed weak and inhomogeneous FoxP3 expression in the tumor cells. FoxP3+ PTCL-NOS presumably derived from bona fide Treg cells occurs but seems rare in the Western population.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bonzheim
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Geissinger
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tinguely
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grieb
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reimer
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenwald
authors.forename: Hans Konrad
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Müller-Hermelink
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rüdiger
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016411:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors