An Overview on Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Models: Towards a Functional Genomics Approach

Expression and Clinical Significance of Ki-67, CD10, BCL6, MUM1, c-MYC, and EBV in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Patients

INTRODUCTION

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in adults. Although studies regarding the association between the expression of Ki-67, CD10, BCL6, and MUM1 proteins, as well as c-MYC amplification and EBV status with clinicopathologic characteristics have rapidly progressed, their co-expression and prognostic role remain unsatisfactory. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between the expression of all markers and clinicopathologic features and their prognostic value in DLBCL. Also, the co-expression of markers was investigated.

METHODS

The protein expression levels and prognostic significance of Ki-67, CD10, BCL6, and MUM1 were investigated with clinical follow-up in a total of 53 DLBCL specimens (including germinal center B [GCB] and activated B cell [ABC] subtypes) as well as adjacent normal samples using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Besides, the clinical significance and prognostic value of c-MYC and EBV status were also evaluated through chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH), and their correlation with other markers was also assessed.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated a positive correlation between CD10 and BCL6 expression, with both markers being associated with the GCB subtype ( P< 0.001 and P =0.001, respectively). Besides, we observe a statistically significant association between MUM1 protein expression and clinicopathologic type ( P< 0.005) as well as a positive association between c-MYC and recurrence ( P =0.028). Our survival analysis showed that patients who had responded to R-CHOP treatment had better overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) than those who did not.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, this study's results add these markers' value to the existing clinical understanding of DLBCL. However, further investigations are needed to explore markers' prognostic and biological roles in DLBCL patients.

Characterizing influence of rCHOP treatment on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma microenvironment through in vitro microfluidic spheroid model

For over two decades, Rituximab and CHOP combination treatment (rCHOP) has remained the standard treatment approach for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Despite numerous clinical trials exploring treatment alternatives, few options have shown any promise at further improving patient survival and recovery rates. A wave of new therapeutic approaches have recently been in development with the rise of immunotherapy for cancer, however, the cost of clinical trials is prohibitive of testing all promising approaches. Improved methods of early drug screening are essential for expediting the development of the therapeutic approaches most likely to help patients. Microfluidic devices provide a powerful tool for drug testing with enhanced biological relevance, along with multi-parameter data outputs. Here, we describe a hydrogel spheroid-based microfluidic model for screening lymphoma treatments. We utilized primary patient DLBCL cells in combination with NK cells and rCHOP treatment to determine the biological relevance of this approach. We observed cellular viability in response to treatment, rheological properties, and cell surface marker expression levels correlated well with expected in vivo characteristics. In addition, we explored secretory and transcriptomic changes in response to treatment. Our results showed complex changes in phenotype and transcriptomic response to treatment stimuli, including numerous metabolic and immunogenic changes. These findings support this model as an optimal platform for the comparative screening of novel treatments.

Mouse models of diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a genetically highly heterogeneous disease. Yet, to date, the vast majority of patients receive standardized frontline chemo-immune-therapy consisting of an anthracycline backbone. Using these regimens, approximately 65% of patients can be cured, whereas the remaining 35% of patients will face relapsed or refractory disease, which, even in the era of CAR-T cells, is difficult to treat. To systematically tackle this high medical need, it is important to design, generate and deploy suitable in vivo model systems that capture disease biology, heterogeneity and drug response. Recently published, large comprehensive genomic characterization studies, which defined molecular sub-groups of DLBCL, provide an ideal framework for the generation of autochthonous mouse models, as well as an ideal benchmark for cell line-derived or patient-derived mouse models of DLBCL. Here we discuss the current state of the art in the field of mouse modelling of human DLBCL, with a particular focus on disease biology and genetically defined molecular vulnerabilities, as well as potential targeting strategies.

In Vitro Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Cell Line Models as Tools to Investigate Novel Immunotherapeutic Strategies

Despite the high incidence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), its management constitutes an ongoing challenge. The most common DLBCL variants include activated B-cell (ABC) and germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) subtypes including DLBCL with MYC and BCL2/BCL6 rearrangements which vary among each other with sensitivity to standard rituximab (RTX)-based chemoimmunotherapy regimens and lead to distinct clinical outcomes. However, as first line therapies lead to resistance/relapse (r/r) in about half of treated patients, there is an unmet clinical need to identify novel therapeutic strategies tailored for these patients. In particular, immunotherapy constitutes an attractive option largely explored in preclinical and clinical studies. Patient-derived cell lines that model primary tumor are indispensable tools that facilitate preclinical research. The current review provides an overview of available DLBCL cell line models and their utility in designing novel immunotherapeutic strategies.

Long non-coding RNA TRIM52-AS1 sponges microRNA-577 to facilitate diffuse large B cell lymphoma progression via increasing TRIM52 expression

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) globally, featuring heterogeneous clinical phenotypes and altered molecular manifestations. The long non-coding ribose nucleic acids (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of DLBCL, requiring the exploration of complex functions and mechanisms. In this study, the expression of lncRNA TRIM52-AS1 in DLBCL tissues from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was initially analyzed and correlated to the data from collected clinical samples. Then, the significance of TRIM52-AS1 on the diagnosis and prognosis of DLBCL patients was predicted with the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis. Further, cell counting kit (CCK)-8, EdU staining, and flow cytometry analyses were performed to assess the effect of TRIM52-AS1 on DLBCL cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. Then, the mechanism of TRIM52-AS1 sponging miR-577 to increase TRIM52 expression was explored using a starBase prediction approach, dual-luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation assay (RIPA), quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and Western blot analyses. The experimental results confirmed the overexpression of TRIM52-AS1 in the DLBCL cell lines. Further, the high expression of TRIM52-AS1 predicted the poor Ann Arbor stage and were correlated with the presence of B symptoms, high international prognostic index, and poor disease prognosis. TRIM52-AS1 knockdown inhibited the DLBCL cell proliferation, and induced apoptosis and G0/G1 cycle arrest. Interestingly, the overexpression of TRIM52-AS1 increased the mRNA stability of TRIM52 through binding IGFBP3 protein and upregulated the TRIM52 protein expression by sponging miR-577. Together, the overexpressed TRIM52-AS1 could promote the DLBCL progression through IGFBP3/miR-218-5p/TRIM52 axis, highlighting the clinical significance of TRIM52-AS1 in the DLBCL diagnosis.

LAG3 and PD1 Regulate CD8+ T Cell in Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma Patients

BACKGROUND

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous lymphoid malignancy. The unsatisfactory outcome for refractory patients has prompted efforts to explore new therapeutic approaches for DLBCL. However, the mechanisms involved in treatment associated with immune checkpoints remain unclear. This study is aimed at investigating the potential roles of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) and lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3) in CD8+ T cells for treatment in DLBCL.

METHODS

Utilizing flow cytometry, we examined the content of T cells, the levels of cytokines, and the expression of PD1 and LAG3 in patients with DLBCL as well as in healthy controls. Levels of cytokines in CD8+ T cells from DLBCL patients before and after treatment were compared by blocking of PD1 and LAG3 in magnetic bead-sorted CD8+ T cells.

RESULTS

We found that the proportion of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells was increased in DLBCL patients after treatment. The levels of cytokines trended toward those of healthy controls in treatment. PD1 (+), LAG3 (+), or PD1 (+) LAG3 (+) were all expressed in lower amounts in CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells after treatment than in untreated DLBCL patients. In addition, blockade of PD1 and LAG3 in sorted CD8+ T cells markedly inhibited cytokine production in response to treatment.

CONCLUSION

PD1 and LAG3 in CD8+ T cells may be important targets of therapy and play therapeutic role in patients with DLBCL.