Based on the presence of an abundant inflammatory infiltrate, expression of a broad spectrum of cytokines and the professional antigen presenting phenotype of Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cells it can be anticipated that immunological mechanisms play a major role in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL). Genetic susceptibility to HL probably relates to functionality of the immune system and the large number of associations with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region in family and population-based studies supports this relation. In Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positive HL cases, which usually demonstrate HLA...

Background Associations of Hodgkin’s lymphoma with HLA have been reported for many years. In 20-40% of patients with this disorder, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is present in the neoplastic cells. Because presentation of EBV antigenic peptides can elicit vigorous immune responses, we investigated associations of the HLA region with EBV-positive and EBV-negative Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Methods In a retrospective, population-based study, patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma were reclassified according to the WHO classification, and EBV status was assessed by in-situ hybridisation of EBV-encoded small RNAs. Germline DNA was isolated from 200...

Purpose: To correlate TP53 mutations with angiogenic status of the tumor and prognosis after liver surgery in patients with colorectal liver metastases and to correlate immunohistochemical staining of p53 protein with TP53 gene mutations. Experimental Design: Tumors of 44 patients with surgically treated colorectal liver metastases were analyzed for (a) TP53 mutations using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis followed by sequencing, (b) microvessel density using the hot spot overlap technique, (c) apoptotic rate in tumor cells and endothelial cells of tumor microvessels using double immunostaining for anti – cleaved...

Aim: To gain more insight into the genes involved in the aetiology and pathogenesis of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Methods: Serial analysis of gene expression ( SAGE) was undertaken on the CD4+ALK+ ( anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive) ALCL derived cell line Karpas299 and as comparison on CD4+ T cells. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were performed on five ALCL derived cell lines and 32 tissue samples to confirm the SAGE data. Results: High expression of Mcl-1 was seen in the Karpas299 cell line,...

Since Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) generally have immunoglobulin gene rearrangements, they are considered to be of B-cell origin. One of the characteristics of HRS cells is a prominent production of various cytokines and chemokines. Cytokine production is generally driven by expression of T-cell transcription factors (TFs). Only limited information is available on the expression of T-cell TFs in HL. Expression of four T-cell TFs and the target cytokine spectrum of these TFs were analyzed in six HL and three large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL)...