Ontogeny, Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Classification of B- and T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Immunohistochemical analysis of arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase expression in B-cell lymphomas: Implication for B cell differentiation and its analogy with lymphomagenesis

Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5) is a cardinal enzyme in the synthesis of leukotrienes, which are powerful immune-regulating lipid mediators. We previously reported that ALOX5 is preferentially expressed in B lymphocytes in the mantle zone of human lymphoid tissue. In the context of physiological relevance, the loss of the Alox5 gene in mice significantly impairs the development of follicular B helper T cells and antibody production. However, ALOX5 expression in B-cell lymphomas has not been investigated in detail. In this study, we examined ALOX5 expression in representative B-cell lymphomas and non-neoplastic lymphoid tissues by immunohistochemistry with a commercially available anti-ALOX5 antibody that can be used on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens. Interestingly, 22/22 cases of mantle cell lymphoma, 7/7 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small cell lymphoma, and 20/20 cases of follicular lymphoma expressed ALOX5. A small proportion of extranodal marginal zone lymphoma/mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma or nodal marginal zone lymphoma cases were positive for ALOX5 (2/13 or 1/3, respectively). In contrast, no cases with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, regardless of germinal center B cell (GCB) or non-GCB type, expressed ALOX5 (0/25 cases). These findings suggest that ALOX5 may be a novel marker for identifying the cell of origin of B-cell lymphoma. Further investigation is required to clarify the biological significance of ALOX5 expression in lymphoma cells.