Author:

Keywords:

B-Lymphocytes, DNA, Neoplasm, DNA-Binding Proteins, Diagnosis, Differential, Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte, Germinal Center, Hodgkin Disease, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence, Incidence, Lymphoma, Small-Cell, Molecular Diagnostic Techniques, Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Transcription Factors, Translocation, Genetic, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Hematology, REED-STERNBERG CELLS, CENTER B-CELLS, PARAFFIN SECTIONS, DISEASE, EXPRESSION, GENE, TRANSLOCATION, PROTEIN, DIFFERENTIATION, ABERRATIONS, Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell, 1102 Cardiorespiratory Medicine and Haematology, 1103 Clinical Sciences, 1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine, Immunology, 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology, 3201 Cardiovascular medicine and haematology, 3213 Paediatrics

Abstract:

We studied the genomic status of BCL6 in 23 cases of nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) and 40 cases of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), using dual-color interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The BCL6 rearrangement was identified in 48% of NLPHL cases and was not detected in cHL cases. As a confirmation, sequential or simultaneous immunohistochemistry (IHC) and FISH using CD20 or BCL6 antibodies and BCL6 DNA probes was performed in 8 NLPHL cases. The BCL6-associated translocations, t(3;22)(q27;q11), t(3;7)(q27;p12), and the most probable t(3;9)(q27;p13), were identified in 3 cases. A consistent expression of BCL6 protein in popcorn cells with the highest number of intensely stained cells in cases with a genomic BCL6 rearrangement was shown by IHC. These findings support the hypothesis of a germinal center B cell-derived origin of NLPHL, indicate a significant role of BCL6 in the pathogenesis of NLPHL, and provide further evidence of the genetic diversity underlying the pathogenesis of NLPHL and cHL.