title: Natural killer cell subsets and natural killer-like T-cell populations in benign and neoplastic B-cell proliferations vary based on clinicopathologic features.
abstract: Microenvironmental factors play a critical role in B-cell lymphomas. Most studies emphasize the role of lymphoma-infiltrating T-cells and macrophages, with few studies on natural killer cells. Natural killer cells include a less mature (CD56(bright)/CD16-) subset that is more common in lymph nodes and a more mature (CD56(dim)/CD16+) subset that is more numerous in peripheral blood. Therefore, the proportions of natural killer cells, natural killer subsets, and natural killer-like T-cells (CD3+, CD56+, and/or CD16/57+) were determined by flow cytometry in 150 cases of tissue-based B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 89 nonneoplastic tissue biopsies. Results were correlated with the clinicopathologic findings. A higher percentage of natural killer cells was found in nonneoplastic spleen versus other nonneoplastic tissue (P < .001), in splenic-based B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma versus other B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (P < .01), and in stage II to IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma versus stage I diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 19, P = .02). The more mature natural killer subset was increased in benign spleen (P < .001) and nonsplenic B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (P < .01) versus nonsplenic, nonneoplastic tissue; in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma versus other B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (P < .001); and in follicular lymphoma with an intermediate follicular lymphoma international prognostic index score (n = 17, P = .04). A higher proportion of natural killer-like T-cells was seen in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma versus other B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (P = .001), whereas chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma contained fewer natural killer-like T-cells (P < .001). The proportions of natural killer cells, natural killer subsets, and natural killer-like T-cells vary with tissue site, type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and clinical stage in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. A higher proportion of CD56(dim)/CD16/57+ natural killer cells is found in spleen, in more aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and in follicular lymphoma with an intermediate follicular lymphoma international prognostic index score. This may be of importance with increasing therapeutic use of immunomodulatory agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Swerdlow
authors.forename: Raymond E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Felgar
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000473:pathology*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000473:pathology*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000473:pathology*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD