HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dukers, D F Articles by Meijer, C J L M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Dukers, D F Articles by Meijer, C J L M Pubmed/NCBI databases Substance via MeSH Medline Plus Health Information Lymphoma

Expression of killer cell inhibitory receptors is restricted to true NK cell lymphomas and a subset of intestinal enteropathy-type T cell lymphomas with a cytotoxic phenotype

Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Department of Dermatology, Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, 080337 Munich, Germany

Dr Dukers d.dukers{at}azvu.nl Background/Aims—Killer inhibitory receptors (KIR) have a modulating effect on the cytotoxic functions of natural killer (NK) cells and T cells. Because lymphoma cells often have the same receptors as their non-neoplastic counterparts, this study investigated the expression of KIR on well defined groups of NK and T cell lymphomas, with and without a cytotoxic phenotype, from different sites of origin.

Methods—Nine CD56⁺/CD3^- NK cell lymphomas, 29 CD3⁺/CD56^- T cell lymphomas with a cytotoxic phenotype, and 19 T cell lymphomas without a cytotoxic phenotype were stained for KIR using monoclonal antibodies specific for CD94, CD158a, and CD158b. In addition, the expression of KIR was studied on normal lymphoid tissues.

Results—KIR expression was seen in five of nine true NK cell lymphomas including three of four nasal, one of four cutaneous, and one of one intestinal lymphoma nasal type. Double staining for CD56 and CD94 in normal lymphoid tissues revealed that KIR was predominantly expressed by CD56⁺ NK cells and sporadically on CD8⁺ T cells. Moreover, enteropathy-type T cell lymphomas with a cytotoxic phenotype showed KIR expression (three cases expressing CD94 and one case expressing CD158a). All nodal and extranodal non-intestinal T cell lymphomas with or without a cytotoxic phenotype lacked expression of KIR.

Conclusions—These results show that KIR expression is restricted to CD56⁺/CD3^- true NK cell lymphomas originating from the nose, gut, and skin, as well as in a subset of extranodal T cell lymphomas originating from the small intestine, which possessed a cytotoxic phenotype. Thus, the presence of KIR on NK/T cell lymphomas seems to mimic the distribution of KIR found on NK and T cells in normal lymphoid tissue.

Key Words: lymphoma • granzyme B • killer inhibitory receptors • CD94

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R.P. Falcao, E.G. Rizzatti, F.P. Saggioro, A.B. Garcia, A.F. Marinato, and E.M. Rego Flow cytometry characterization of leukemic phase of nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma in tumor biopsies and peripheral blood Haematologica, February 1, 2007; 92(2): e24 - e25. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Krenacs, M. J. Smyth, E. Bagdi, T. Krenacs, L. Kopper, T. Rudiger, A. Zettl, H. K. Muller-Hermelink, E. S. Jaffe, and M. Raffeld The serine protease granzyme M is preferentially expressed in NK-cell, gamma delta T-cell, and intestinal T-cell lymphomas: evidence of origin from lymphocytes involved in innate immunity Blood, May 1, 2003; 101(9): 3590 - 3593. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. H. Vermeer, R. van Doorn, D. Dukers, M. W. Bekkenk, C. J.L.M. Meijer, and R. Willemze CD8+ T Cells in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma: Expression of Cytotoxic Proteins, Fas Ligand, and Killing Inhibitory Receptors and Their Relationship With Clinical Behavior J. Clin. Oncol., December 1, 2001; 19(23): 4322 - 4329. [Abstract] [Full Text]