Gene expression profiling indicates that immunohistochemical expression of CD40 is a marker of an inflammatory reaction in the tumor stroma of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Summary, in English

Immunohistochemical expression of CD40 is seen in 60-70% of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and is associated with a superior prognosis. By using gene expression profiling we aimed to further explore the underlying mechanisms for this effect. Ninety-eight immunohistochemically defined CD40 positive or negative DLBCL tumors, 63 and 35 respectively, were examined using spotted 55K oligonucleotide arrays. CD40 expressing tumors were characterized by up-regulated expression of genes encoding proteins involved in cell-matrix interactions: collagens, integrin a V, proteoglycans and proteolytic enzymes, and antigen presentation. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that CD40 positive tumors co-express the proinflammatory proteoglycan biglycan (p = 0.005), which in turn correlates with the amount of infiltrating macrophages and CD4 and CD8 positive T-cells. We postulate that immunohistochemical expression of CD40 mainly reflects the inflammatory status in tumors. A high intratumoral inflammatory reaction may correlate with an increased autologous tumor response, and thereby a better prognosis.

• Author: Karin Fjordén; Patrick Joost; Mats Ehinger; Patrik Edén; Mats Jerkeman; Eva Cavallin-Ståhl; Johan Linderoth
• Department/s: Lymphoma - Clinical Research; Breastcancer-genetics; Tumor microenvironment; Computational Biology and Biological Physics - Has been reorganised
• Publishing year: 2012
• Language: English
• Pages: 1764-1768
• Publication/Series: Leukemia & Lymphoma
• Volume: 53
• Issue: 9
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10428194.2012.666541
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Topic: Cancer and Oncology
• Keywords: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; CD40; gene expression profiling; tumor; stroma
• Status: Published
• Research group: Lymphoma - Clinical Research
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1042-8194