Abstract
Immune cell populations in 8 diffuse histology B-cell lymphomas were analysed in frozen tissue sections by indirect immunofluorescence to gain insight into their possible modulating influence in these tumors. Use of monoclonal antibodies to identify cellular and extracellular antigens combined with nuclear counterstaining allowed precise quantitation, localization and comparison of T- and B-lymphocyte populations. T lymphocytes clustered in non-random fashion. Areas of high T-lymphocyte density manifested higher T4:T8 ratios than locales with fewer T lymphocytes (p < 0.05). Few cells had surface antigens (Leu 7, 73.1, OKM1) associated with natural killing. Cells strongly reactive with anti-TAC (Interleukin-2 receptor, associated with T-lymphocyte activation) were also T11 reactive and were usually helper (Leu 3) phenotype. In addition, B-lineage lymphoma cells in some tissues reacted with anti-TAC. The pattern of tumor cell reactivity with anti-TAC correlated with Rappaport histologic classification. These findings suggest that non-malignant T lymphocytes modulate B-lymphoma cell growth in situ, and that in some lymphomas the T-cell product IL-2 may be an important local growth factor.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1271-1278 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Leukemia research |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1986 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL analysis of human non-Hodgkin's lymphomas suggest these tumors are clonal expansions of single malignant B cells since most tumor cells express a single immunoglobulin light chain type [1-5] or idiotype [6]. However, evaluation of suspensions of malignant B-cell nodes consistently reveals a population of cells with T-lymphocyte surface antigen characteristics [1-5]. Monoclonal antibodies can be used to identify peripheral blood T-lymphocyte phenotypes which correlate closely with functional roles in controlling B-lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation [7]. Monoclonal antibodies have also been used to characterize the distribution of T-lymphocyte phenotypes in * This work was supported in part by funds from the Minnesota Medical Foundation and the Merit Review of the Veterans Administration and by grants NIH AI-10704, AM25518, Am26149, and HL07062. JLP is under tenure of a Clinical Scientist Award from the American Heart Association. Presented in part at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, San Francisco, December 1983. Abbreviations: IL-2, interleukin-2; FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate; TRIC, tetraethylrhodamine isothiocyanate; LCM, leukocyte conditioned medium. Correspondence to: Dr Barbara W. Grant, Section of Hematology, Given Building C-312, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, U.S.A.
Keywords
- IL-2 receptor
- Lymphoma
- T lymphocytes
