title: Class III beta-tubulin shows unique expression patterns in a variety of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lymphoproliferative disorders.
abstract: Class III beta-tubulin (TUBB3) expression in carcinoma is associated with resistance to tubulin-binding chemotherapeutic agents. Recently, follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) were reported to express TUBB3 under physiologic conditions. We investigated TUBB3 expression in a wide range of lymphoproliferative disorders using immunohistochemistry. Dual immunostaining for Bcl-6 and TUBB3 revealed that some germinal center B cells also express TUBB3 in addition to FDCs. In Hodgkin lymphomas (HLs), 47.1% (40/85) expressed TUBB3 in the tumor cells with an all-or-none pattern. TUBB3 expression in HL was more common in mixed cellularity type than nodular sclerosis type (P=0.032). Among non-HLs, 79.3% (23/29) of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), 8% (2/25) of extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma, and 75% (21/28) of Burkitt lymphoma showed TUBB3 expression with an all-or-none pattern. Of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 15.2% (32/210) expressed TUBB3 in a heterogeneous pattern. In ALCL, TUBB3 expression was more common in systemic ALCL than in primary cutaneous ALCL (P=0.046). Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas with a germinal center B-like subgroup exhibited TUBB3 expression more frequently than non-GCB-like subgroup (P=0.01). Otherwise, none of the 18 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphomas; 18 peripheral T-cell lymphomas, not otherwise specified; 12 follicular lymphomas; 62 marginal zone lymphomas; 7 mantle cell lymphomas; 8 small lymphocytic lymphomas; or 2 FDC sarcomas expressed TUBB3. In angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma and Castleman disease, TUBB3 was positive in immunoblasts corresponding to Epstein-Barr virus-infected or Kaposi sarcoma herpes virus-infected cells. A variety of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lymphoproliferative disorders exhibited characteristic TUBB3 expression patterns; these results suggest potential for diagnostic utility, some insight into the pathobiology of TUBB3 expression, and potential therapeutic implications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Och
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Wook Youn
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Heounjeong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Go
authors.forename: Jin Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Paik
authors.forename: Ji Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joo R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Yoon Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Chul-Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020566:Dendritic Cells, Follicular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007119:Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C084103:BCL6 protein, human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; C498585:TUBB3 protein, human; D014404:Tubulin