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Lymphocyte predominant cells of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma interact with rosetting T cells in an immunological synapse
Author(s) -
Bein Julia,
Thurner Lorenz,
Hansmann MartinLeo,
Hartmann Sylvia
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.25972
Subject(s) - lymphocyte , biology , immunology , t cell , lymphoma , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer research , immune system
Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a subtype of Hodgkin lymphoma with a preserved B‐cell phenotype and follicular T helper (T FH ) cells rosetting around the tumor cells, the lymphocyte‐predominant (LP) cells. As we recently described reactivity of the B‐cell receptors of LP cells of some NLPHL cases with Moraxella spp. proteins, we hypothesized that LP cells could present peptides to rosetting T cells in a major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII)‐bound manner. Rosetting PD1 + T cells were present in the majority of NLPHL cases, both in typical (17/20) and variant patterns (16/19). In most cases, T‐cell rosettes were CD69 + (typical NLPHL, 17/20; NLPHL variant, 14/19). Furthermore, both MHCII alpha and beta chains were expressed in the LP cells in 23/39 NLPHL. Proximity ligation assay and confocal laser imaging demonstrated interaction of the MHCII beta chain expressed by the LP cells and the T‐cell receptor alpha chain expressed by rosetting T cells. We thus conclude that rosetting T cells in NLPHL express markers that are encountered after antigenic exposure, that MHCII is expressed by the LP cells, and that LP cells interact with rosetting T cells in an immunological synapse in a subset of cases. As they likely receive growth stimulatory signals in this way, blockade of this interaction, for example, by PD1‐directed checkpoint inhibitors, could be a treatment option in a subset of cases in the future.