BAFF-R is expressed on B-cell lymphomas depending on their origin, and is related to proliferation index of nodal diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.
B-cell activating factor receptor (BAFF-R) is one of three known receptors for BAFF. BAFF-R is required for B-cell maturation and survival. We tried to determine the normal pattern of BAFF-R expression in non-neoplastic and neoplastic B- and T-cells. We used immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression pattern of BAFF-R in non-neoplastic and neoplastic lymphoid tissues of routinely fixed paraffin-embedded samples, and examined the relationships among BAFF-R and expressions of CD10, bcl-6, MUM-1, and MIB-1. BAFF-R expression was detected on B-cells of the mantle zones, some cells within germinal centers, and scattered cells in the interfollicular areas of reactive lymph nodes. BAFF-R expression was only found in B-cell lymphoma (60/120, positive samples/examined samples), but not in T/NK cell lymphoma (0/10) or Hodgkin lymphoma (0/10). The proportions were as follows : follicular lymphoma (14/16), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (27/61), mantle cell lymphoma (4/4), and Burkitt lymphoma (0/4). According to Hans' criteria, DLBCLs were subclassified into germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) and non-germinal center B-cell-like (non-GCB) types. Interestingly, in nodal lymphomas, in the GCB subgroup (n=12), 9 of 12 (75%) were positive for BAFF-R, while 6 of 20 (30%) were positive in the non-GCB subgroup (n=20) (p < 0.05). In addition, expression of BAFF-R related to lower MIB-1 index was associated with GCB-type DLBCL. In conclusion, BAFF-R was only found in some B-cell lymphomas, which was closely associated with the expression pattern in normal counterparts, although BAFF-R expression on follicular lymphoma is different from that on germinal center cells, which is similar to bcl-2. BAFF-R was rather specifically related to low growth activity of GCB-type DLBCL of nodal origin.
Department of Pathology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Japan.
Hiroyuki
H
Takahata
Nobuya
N
Ohara
Kouichi
K
Ichimura
Takehiro
T
Tanaka
Yasuharu
Y
Sato
Toshiaki
T
Morito
Katsuyoshi
K
Takata
Masaru
M
Kojima
Tetsuji
T
Kobata
Tadashi
T
Yoshino
D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; C435926:TNFRSF13C protein, human