[Study on expression of natural killer (NK) cell C-type lectin-like receptors in nasal NK/T-cell lymphomas].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression and possible role of C-type lectin-like natural killer cell receptors, including CD94 and NKG2s, in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (EN-NK/T-NT).


METHODS
Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of CD94 and NKG2s in tissue sections of 21 cases of EN-NK/T-NT(confirmed by histology, immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) and PCR for T-cell receptor genes), eight midline B cell lymphomas (BCL), 10 peripheral T cell lymphoma of lymph nodes (PTCL), five spleens, five thymuses and five chronic nasopharyngitis.


RESULTS
All 21 cases of EN-NK/T-NT showed typical histological features, with expression of CD3epsilon, CD56, cytotoxic granules and positivity of EBV in 20 cases. The RT-PCR results showed a high level expression of CD94 (85.7%) and NKG2 members (95.2% totally, with NKG2A/2B in 85.7%, NKG2D in 61.9%, NKG2F in 14.3%, NKG2C/2E in 4.8%, respectively and sequentially) in EN-NK/T-NT. But in the controls, none of the receptors were detected in TCL (0%) and BCL (0%), while only a few cases of lymphoid tissues expressed one or two of these receptors (two spleens and two chronic nasopharyngitis mucosa for CD94, one spleen for NKG2A/2B and one thymus for NKG2D). The differences of CD94 and NKG2 expression between EN-NK/T-NT and BCL or TCL were statistically significant (P<0.01). Co-expression of CD94 and NKG2 was found in 17 out of 21 EN-NK/T-NT cases (81.0%).


CONCLUSIONS
The specific and sequential expression nature of CD94 and NKG2 in EN-NK/T-NT, mimics the developmental expression model in their normal counterparts, and suggests that the tumor cells of most cases are being activated and keeping in a stage as the functional NK cells. Detection of these molecules may provide a useful tool to confirm the diagnosis of NK cell lymphoma.
Nong
Lin
L
Department of Pathology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
Zhang
Shuang
S
Li
Yang
Y
Zhang
Ying
Y
Wang
Ying
Y
Li
Ting
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D054391:Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016411:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C / Q000378:metabolism*; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D / Q000378:metabolism*; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult
D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D