Cytokine expression in T-cell lymphomas and Hodgkin's disease. Its possible implication in autocrine or paracrine production as a potential basis for neoplastic growth

Am J Pathol. 1991 Nov;139(5):1173-80.

Abstract

The detection of an increasing number of cytokines and the demonstration of autocrine and paracrine mechanisms perpetuating tumor growth prompted the investigation of the expression of the cytokines IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IFN gamma, Tac, and GMCSF in primary lymph-node biopsies of patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (n = 11), Hodgkin's disease (n = 13), and large-cell anaplastic lymphoma (n = 6) by means of Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization (ISH); 15 of 28 cases had IL-6 message, predominantly in cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD) and large-cell anaplastic lymphomas (LCAL). Interferon gamma was found in about 50% of the cases among all entities. Other cytokine expression was rare except two cases of HD with high amounts of IL-4 mRNA. These results indicate that large amounts of growth factor transcripts are present in a variety of malignant lymphomas. The meaning of this expression is still unclear. It may be a loss of physiologic regulation within the cytokine network which may thus influence neoplastic cell growth as some cases have a quantity of cytokine expression which is similar or even above that of stimulated T cells. ISH demonstrates in individual cases that the expression is at least in part due to malignant cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Biopsy
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism*
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / metabolism
  • Hodgkin Disease / genetics
  • Hodgkin Disease / metabolism*
  • Hodgkin Disease / pathology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma / genetics
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-2 / genetics
  • Interleukin-2 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-3 / genetics
  • Interleukin-3 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / genetics
  • Interleukin-4 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-5 / genetics
  • Interleukin-5 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-6 / genetics
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Lymph Nodes / metabolism
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / genetics
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / metabolism*
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / genetics
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / metabolism

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-3
  • Interleukin-5
  • Interleukin-6
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2
  • Interleukin-4
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor