Growth fraction of tumour cells and infiltration density with natural killer-like (HNK1+) cells in non-Hodgkin lymphomas

Transferrin receptor expression in canine lymphoma

Transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) expression was measured by immunohistochemistry in 78 archived cases of canine B-cell and T-cell lymphoma with an anti-human TfR1 monoclonal antibody that was validated in the dog by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. The canine lymphoma cases were initially classified on the basis of World Health Organization criteria and then subdivided into the following 4 subgroups: low-grade B-cell (LGB), high-grade B-cell (HGB), low-grade T-cell (LGT), and high-grade T-cell (HGT). A visual scoring system and densitometric analysis of the proportion and intensity of positive staining were used to quantify TfR1 expression. TfR1 expression was also correlated to mitotic rate. TfR1 expression was significantly lower in the LGT tumors compared to all other lymphoma subgroups (LGB, HGB, and HGT). LGB tumors showed a TfR1 expression similar to those of the high-grade tumors (HGB and HGT). Significant correlations were found between mitotic rate and densitometric TfR1 variables in the T-cell tumors but not in the B-cell tumors. Further studies are needed to investigate the underlying molecular basis of the high TfR1 expression in LGB lymphomas and its pathological relevance. The anti-human TfR1 monoclonal antibody is a useful tool for measurement of total cellular transferrin receptor expression in the dog; however, an antibody with specificity for the canine TfR1 ectodomain is needed to investigate the potential of this receptor as an oncolytic target.

Correlation of flow cytometric parameters and transferrin receptors with gallium-67 scintigraphic images in lymphoma patients

The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation of flow cytometric parameters and transferrin receptors with gallium-67 scintigraphic imaging results in Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients. DNA content and cell cycle analyses were performed using flow cytometry and transferrin receptor analysis was carried out by the immunohistochemistry technique in 24 patients aged between 16 and 62 years. All patients underwent gallium-67 scintigraphy, and tumour to background ratios were calculated. The findings were correlated with computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging. A strong relationship was observed between flow cytometry and transferrin receptor expression with gallium-67 tumour scintigraphy [P = 0.005, r = 0.054 and P = 0.038, r = 0.54 (Spearman test), respectively]. The results of this study show that there is a close correlation between each of these modalities and, as they reflect the biological activity of the tumour, together they have a major role in treatment and follow-up.

Proliferation centres in B-cell malignant lymphoma, lymphocytic (B-CLL): an immunophenotypic study

Proliferation centres, also known as pseudofollicles, are present in approximately 90% of lymphocytic lymphomas (B-CLL). They consist of loosely arranged larger cells that often contain prominent nucleoli. In contrast to true B-cell follicles, which may be found entrapped within the small lymphocytic infiltrate in sections of B-CLL, proliferation centres are said not to contain follicular dendritic cells, although their presence has been occasionally recorded. We have carried out an immunohistochemical study of proliferation centres from 30 lymph node specimens of known cases of B-CLL, classified according to the Kiel classification, in six of which fresh frozen in addition to paraffin embedded tissue was available. We have compared proliferation centres with the surrounding small lymphocytic infiltrate and reactive B-cell follicles with respect to the presence of follicular dendritic cells and their associated network of IgM and complement, the cell proliferation fraction, the concentration of T-cells and the expression of bcl-2 protein. Most proliferation centres contained a delicate follicular dendritic cell network which was associated with IgM and complement, and showed a higher proliferation fraction than the surrounding small lymphocytic infiltrate. The proliferation centres contained more T-cells than the surrounding infiltrate and showed decreased expression of bcl-2 protein. Entrapped reactive B-cell follicles contained a much denser network of follicular dendritic cells, associated with much stronger expression of IgM and complement, and exhibited a very high proliferation fraction; they contained many T-cells and expressed very little bcl-2 protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Measurement of proliferation indices in non Hodgkin's lymphoma--is it useful?

In this review we discuss the possible value of additional information concerning growth characteristics of NHL's for the prognosis of the individual patient. Techniques for measuring cell cycle kinetic parameters (e.g. S-phase assessment) and proliferation related antigens (e.g. anti-transferrin receptor and Ki67) are shortly reviewed. This is followed by an overview of proliferation studies in NHL. Until now in most of these studies overall measurements of tumour tissue have been performed. Moreover the parameters that have been assessed are related to proliferation state rather than proliferation rate. None of the methods used has a convincing superiority with regard to clinical outcome. In the future, tumour specific assessment (by means of double-labeling techniques) of proliferation rate parameters might provide information, more relevant to the prognosis of the individual patient with NHL.

Acute myeloid leukemia: immunohistologic findings in paraffin-embedded bone marrow biopsy specimens

Immunohistochemical investigations were performed on decalcified, paraffin-embedded iliac crest trephine biopsy specimens from 30 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML, as defined by the FAB classification) with antibodies against B cells (L26, 4KB5, MB1, Ki-B3), T cells (UCHL1, MT1), myeloid/histiocytic cells (anti-neutrophil elastase, MAC387, anti-S-100 protein, anti-alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, DAKO-M1), natural killer/killer cells (anti-Leu-7), and megakaryocytes (anti-factor VIII-related antigen). (1) The blast cells of all the cases reacted with from at least two to at most eight different antibodies. Each antibody reacted with blast cells in a minimum of two (maximum 30) cases. (2) MT1, Ki-B3, anti-alpha 1-antichymotrypsin anti-neutrophil elastase, anti-S-100 protein, and MAC387 stained blast cells in more than 50% of the cases; MB1, L26, UCHL1, 4KB5, and DAKO-M1 in 20% to 50% of the cases; and anti-Leu-7 and anti-factor VIII-related antigen in less than 20% of the cases. (3) In the majority of cases many T lymphocytes, a small-to-moderate number of B lymphocytes, and a few Leu-7-positive lymphoid cells were intermingled with the blast cells. In some cases, especially where only a minor proportion of the blast cells was immunostained, it was nearly impossible to distinguish the lymphocytes of the tumor's stromal reaction from small blast cells. Thus, AML exhibits a heterogeneous immunophenotype in trephine biopsy specimens. Immunohistologic diagnosis of this disease in such specimens may be extremely difficult. Since staining of the blast cells with one or more of the antibodies generally used to define B cells, T cells, or their neoplastic derivatives is not uncommon, misinterpretation as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of high-grade malignancy could easily occur. These findings also suggest that mixed-type (hybrid) acute leukemias with coexpression of myeloid and lymphoid cell markers could be more common than generally realized.

Limiting dilution analysis of the frequency of IL2 responsive T cells in lymph nodes involved by B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas

Total T lymphocytes separated from twelve lymph nodes involved by B-NHL were studied in limiting dilution experiments for their ability to proliferate in the presence of both R-IL2 used at a final concentration of 40 U/ml and irradiated autologous malignant B cells as feeders. The number of proliferating T-lymphocyte precursors (PTL-P) thus estimated was low in each case (mean: 1/4503; range, 1/200 to 1/11013). Once expanded, proliferation of the IL2 responsive T cells in the presence of autologous malignant B cells remained strictly dependent on the addition of exogenous IL2. Control cases consisted of T lymphocytes separated from peripheral blood of six healthy subjects and cultured in the presence of both R-IL2 (40 U/ml) and irradiated autologous total mononuclear cells as feeders; the mean frequency of PTL-P thus obtained (1/173; range, 1/49 to 1/457) was significantly higher than in malignant lymph nodes (p less than 0.01). These findings do not support the hypothesis that, in this series of patients, expansion of malignant B cells may lead to the activation and growth of T cells sensitized against the tumour.

abl oncogene expression in non-Hodgkin lymphomas: correlation to histological differentiation and clinical status

Eight reactive lymphatic tissues, 166 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and 11 cases of multiple myeloma were investigated for expression of the c-abl protein using the poly-clonal anti-abl antibody 4411 and an indirect peroxidase technique. In selected cases the results were compared to those obtained with a second polyclonal and 2 monoclonal anti-abl antibodies. In 7 cases, Northern blot analysis of abl-mRNA was performed in parallel. In reactive lymphatic tissues, cells positive for the 4411 antibody were confined to the B-cell areas, i.e., to the mantle zone and parts of the germinal center. In NHL, a positive staining of the cell membrane was predominantly detectable in lymphomas putatively originating in the germinal center or mantle zone (in particular in centrocytic NHL), independent of their proliferative activity. Clinically, 7 out of 8 abl-positive cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) had a more aggressive course of disease, whereas "progressive disease" occurred in only 7 out of 19 c-abl antigen-negative cases. When the clinical status of 78 patients with NHL and 11 patients with multiple myeloma was related to c-abl expression, c-abl-positivity was mostly confined to patients in advanced tumor stages [p less than 0.001 (NHL)].

Transferrin receptor expression by non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Correlation with morphologic grade and survival

The monoclonal antibody OKT9 was applied to cryostat sections of 267 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and related neoplasms. It was found that the transferrin receptor is expressed by a wide variety of B- and T-lineage non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. The OKT9 staining also was loosely correlated with the three morphologic grades of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas identified by the International Working Formulation. In general, higher grade lymphomas more often and more intensely expressed the T9 antigen. However, transferrin receptor expression by certain histologic subtypes of lymphoma did not correlate with their morphologic grade: low-grade follicular lymphomas expressed the T9 antigen more frequently than diffuse low-grade lymphomas; diffuse small cleaved cell lymphomas were stained by OKT9 less often than other histologic subtypes of intermediate-grade lymphomas; and diffuse immunoblastic lymphomas expressed transferrin receptors less often than the other high-grade histologic subtypes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Intermediate lymphocytic lymphomas, not recognized in the International Working Formulation, were infrequently and weakly stained by OKT9 in a manner similar to diffuse low-grade lymphomas. We obtained clinical follow-up data on 43 individuals with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma and 64 individuals with diffuse large cell and immunoblastic lymphoma. Transferrin receptor expression in these two groups did not correlate significantly with survival.

The prognostic value of Ki67 immunostaining in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The monoclonal antibody Ki67 recognizes an antigen expressed in all phases of the cell cycle except Go. It has been used in 141 biopsies from 138 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to identify proliferating cells in histological sections. A Ki67 index (the number of Ki67 positive tumour cells divided by the sum of Ki67 positive and negative tumour cells) has been derived by counting 1000 cells in each case. A correction for the presence of non-tumour cells has been incorporated by counting non-tumour cells in serial sections stained with a panel of other antibodies. A very strong correlation between a low Ki67 index (less than 20 per cent) and low grade histology and a high Ki67 index (greater than 20 per cent) and high grade histology was found (Chi2 = 98.0). Ninety-one patients could be analysed for survival and those with low grade lymphoma (n = 38) who had a relatively high Ki67 index (greater than 5 per cent) had a worse survival than those with an index of less than 5 per cent (p less than 0.05). In contrast, there was a trend for those patients with high grade disease with a very high Ki67 index (greater than 80 per cent) to have a better survival than those with a lower index (less than 80 per cent). The patients with high grade disease who achieved complete remission or good partial remission and had a Ki67 index of less than 80 per cent were more likely to relapse than those with an index of greater than 80 per cent (p less than 0.04). These findings could not be explained by the effect of other prognostic factors such as age, stage, or serum albumin. While the use of Ki67 immunostaining has potential drawbacks, it appears to be a simple and reproducible method of determining a tumour proliferative index which provides relevant clinical data.

Macrophage infiltration in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: a quantitative in situ study

The frequency and distribution pattern of macrophages within 93 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) were evaluated in situ by immunomorphometry using stereological methods. For the identification of macrophages (M phi), several antibodies (Mono 1, Mono 2, OKM 1) reactive with surface antigens on cells of the monocyte-macrophage series and cytochemical staining for acid phosphatase were applied. The average number of macrophages within lymph node tissue of NHL was 6,299 +/- 760 cells/microliter (similar to reactive lymphatic tissue: 6,559 +/- 1,027). The highest number of infiltrating macrophages was detected in immunoblastic NHL (17,306 +/- 2,773), differing significantly from other histological subtypes and reactive lymphatic tissue (p less than 0.005). The possible impact of tumor-infiltrating macrophages on lymphoma cell proliferation and differentiation is discussed.