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Flow cytometry CD4+CD26−CD38+ lymphocyte subset in the microenvironment of Hodgkin lymphoma-affected lymph nodes

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Abstract

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is traditionally diagnosed by the presence of neoplastic Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells found in minority within a typical inflammatory microenvironment. It is now recognized that the majority of these T CD4 cells are T regulatory (Treg) and play an important immunosuppressive role and contribute to tumour persistence. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping of lymphocytes was performed on lymph node samples over a 12-year period (2000-2012) to identify the Hodgkin-specific subset and potential biomarkers related to Treg cells. CD3, CD19 and T CD4+CD26−CD38+ subsets were measured in the lymphocytic infiltrate of 108 consecutive lymph node samples concurrently diagnosed histologically as HL and in 43 cases of benign reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (BRLH). HL, compared to BRLH, shows statistically significant differences within the reactive microenvironmental population: decreased CD19+ cells (23 % vs 39 %; p < 0.001), increased CD3+ (74 % vs 58 %; p < 0.001) and CD4+CD26−CD38+ cells (38 % vs 11.5 %; p < 0.001). By using the co-expressed markers CD38 and CD26 for logistic analysis, the obtained receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves confirm that the CD4+CD26−CD38+ subset is strongly expressed in HL (ROC AUC = 0,8639). Flow cytometric detection of CD4+CD26−CD38+ cells seems able to identify the cellular microenvironmental pattern in HL and to distinguish it from BRLH. Although there is extensive experience in flow cytometric analysis of non-HL, it is not routinely applied in cases of HL and our findings suggest that it may be useful in quickly and easily characterizing its cellular para-neoplastic inflammatory background.

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Acknowledgments

This work was in part supported by the “Avis per il progresso ematologico” (APE) and AIL Treviso. LC is a fellow of AIL Treviso and VG is a fellow of the “Borsa di studio ricerca sul cancro 2012 dedicata a don Umberto Miglioranza”, Castelfranco Veneto. We thank Gabrielle Talarico Clarke for the revision of this manuscript.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory Department, Transfusion Service, Haemophilia Centre and Haematology, Castelfranco Veneto Hospital, Via Ospedale 18, 31033, Castelfranco Veneto, TV, Italy

    Rosa Di Gaetano, Valentina Gasparetto, Barbara Callegari, Laura Candiotto & Giuseppe Tagariello

  2. Laboratory of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Andrea Padoan & Maria Colomba Sanzari

  3. Pathology Department, Castelfranco Veneto Hospital, Castelfranco Veneto, Italy

    Antonio Scapinello

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  1. Rosa Di Gaetano
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Correspondence to Giuseppe Tagariello.

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Di Gaetano, R., Gasparetto, V., Padoan, A. et al. Flow cytometry CD4+CD26−CD38+ lymphocyte subset in the microenvironment of Hodgkin lymphoma-affected lymph nodes. Ann Hematol 93, 1319–1326 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-014-2044-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-014-2044-x

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