Tumour-associated macrophages in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a study of the Osaka Lymphoma Study Group.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) of the M1 and M2 types in the behaviour of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).


RESULTS
Double immunohistochemical staining of HLA-DR/CD68 (M1) or CD163/CD68 (M2) was performed in 101 cases of DLBCL. CD68+ cells represent the total number of TAMs. The average number of double-positive cells was counted, and the cut-off value was set at the mean number of counts, i.e. 30.7 and 27.0 for M1 TAMs and M2 TAMs, respectively. That for total TAMs was set at the 90th percentile number of total counts, i.e. 132.3. Cases were categorized into three pairs: high (34 cases) and low (67 cases) M1 TAM groups, high (39 cases) and low (62 cases) M2 TAM groups, and high (10 cases) and low (91 cases) total TAM groups. The difference in overall survival rates was statistically significant between the high and low M2 TAM groups (P < 0.01) and between the high and low total TAM groups (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of a bulky mass and a higher number of M2 TAMs were significant factors for poor prognosis (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Estimation of specific type of macrophages, of the M1 and M2 types, is superior to the estimation of TAMs as a whole (CD68+ cells) for prediction of the prognosis of DLBCL patients.
Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Naoki
N
Wada
Mona A A
MA
Zaki
Yumiko
Y
Hori
Koji
K
Hashimoto
Machiko
M
Tsukaguchi
Yoichi
Y
Tatsumi
Jun
J
Ishikawa
Nobuhiko
N
Tominaga
Hiroto
H
Sakoda
Hironori
H
Take
Mitsuru
M
Tsudo
Maki
M
Kuwayama
Eiichi
E
Morii
Katsuyuki
K
Aozasa
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule