Expression of CD95 antigen and Bcl-2 protein in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and Hodgkin's disease

Phuong L. Nguyen, Nancy L. Harris, Jerome Ritz, Michael J. Robertson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

68 Scopus citations

Abstract

CD95 (APO-1/Fas) is a member of the superfamily that includes the nerve growth factor and tumor necrosis factor receptors, OX40, CD27, CD30, and CD40. Present on a minority of resting blood lymphocytes, CD95 expression is upregulated on activated T and B lymphocytes and natural killer cells, where binding of the antigen by anti-Fas and anti-APO-1 antibodies has been shown to induce apoptosis. This CD95-mediated apoptosis is at least partially inhibited by expression of the Bcl-2 protooncogene. To evaluate possible roles of CD95 and Bcl-2 in growth regulation of lymphoid neoplasms, we studied by immunohistochemistry the expression of CD95 and Bcl-2 in 67 B- and 5 T-cell lympbomas, and 10 cases of Hodgkin's disease. In all, 29 B and. 2 T cell lymphomas, and 9 cases of Hodgkin's disease expressed CD95. Compared with diffuse large B-cell and Burkitt-like lymphomas, low-grade B-cell lymphomas more frequently expressed CD95 (52% versus 26%; P > .005). None of the B-cell small lymphocytic lymphomas or mantle cell lymphomas expressed CD95, whereas the majority of follicle center lymphomas, extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas, and immunocytomas were CD95+. Of the 29 CD95+ B-cell lymphomas, only 33% of the high-grade group coexpressed Bcl-2, compared with 87% of the low-grade group (TP < .04). Two of three peripheral T-cell lymphomas - including one anaplastic large cell lymphoma-expressed CD95. Staining for CD95 was seen in 9 of 10 cases of Hodgkin's disease. The infrequent expression of CD95 in high-grade B-cell lymphomas suggests an association between loss ofCD95 expression/function and a more aggressive tumor grade. Whereas frequent coexpression of Bcl-2 with CD95 may protect low-grade B-cell lymphomas against CD95-mediated apoptosis, in the high-grade group such coexpression is infrequent, and other regulators besides Bcl-2 may be involved in modulating the apoptosis signal delivered by CD95.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)847-853
Number of pages7
JournalAmerican Journal of Pathology
Volume148
Issue number3
StatePublished - Mar 1996

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine

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