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TOX expression in different subtypes of cutaneous lymphoma

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Abstract

Early cutaneous T cell lymphoma clinically and histologically resembles benign inflammatory skin diseases, which sometimes makes it difficult to reach a correct diagnosis. It is recently reported that thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box factor (TOX) serves as a molecular marker for histological diagnosis of early-stage mycosis fungoides (MF). To examine whether TOX could be a marker of tumour cells in different types of cutaneous lymphoma, we investigated immunohistochemical staining for TOX with the lesional skin of patch, plaque, and tumour MF, Sézary syndrome (SS), lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP), primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (PCALCL), adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL, NOS), atopic dermatitis (AD), and normal skin. TOX and CCR4 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in lesional skin of MF/SS were also examined. Immunohistological staining showed that a high specific nuclear staining of TOX was observed at a high frequency in MF, SS, and PTCL, NOS. Tumour cells in LyP, PCALCL, and ATLL showed a slightly dim nuclear staining of TOX. TOX+ cells in MF and LyP expressed surface molecules characteristics of tumour cells in these diseases. Lesional skin of SS expressed higher levels of TOX mRNA, compared to normal skin or MF lesional skin. Moreover, TOX expression significantly correlated with CCR4 expression. TOX may be a specific marker for tumour cells in some types of cutaneous lymphoma.

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Abbreviations

TOX:

Thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box factor

MF:

Mycosis fungoides

SS:

Sézary syndrome

LyP:

Lymphomatoid papulosis

PCALCL:

Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma

ATLL:

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma

PTCL, NOS:

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified

AD:

Atopic dermatitis

mRNA:

Messenger RNA

NK:

Natural killer

CTCL:

Cutaneous T cell lymphoma

GAPDH:

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Ct:

Threshold cycle

TCR:

T cell receptor

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Acknowledgments

We thank Tamami Kaga for technical assistance. The Ministry of education, culture, sports, and technology in Japan.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan

    Sohshi Morimura, Makoto Sugaya, Hiraku Suga, Tomomitsu Miyagaki, Hanako Ohmatsu, Hideki Fujita, Yoshihide Asano, Yayoi Tada, Takafumi Kadono & Shinichi Sato

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  1. Sohshi Morimura
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  2. Makoto Sugaya
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  3. Hiraku Suga
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  4. Tomomitsu Miyagaki
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  5. Hanako Ohmatsu
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  6. Hideki Fujita
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  7. Yoshihide Asano
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  8. Yayoi Tada
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  9. Takafumi Kadono
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  10. Shinichi Sato
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Correspondence to Makoto Sugaya.

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Morimura, S., Sugaya, M., Suga, H. et al. TOX expression in different subtypes of cutaneous lymphoma. Arch Dermatol Res 306, 843–849 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-014-1501-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-014-1501-7

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