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Cytokine expression in primary cutaneous germinal center cell lymphomas
Author(s) -
Asadullah K.,
Gellrich S.,
HaeußlerQuade A.,
Friedrich M.,
Döcke W.D.,
Jahn S.,
Sterry W.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0625.2000.009001071.x
Subject(s) - cytokine , germinal center , biology , lymphoma , immunology , tumor necrosis factor alpha , t cell , pathology , cbcl , cancer research , b cell , medicine , immune system , antibody , clinical psychology
Physiologically, B‐lymphocytes are not present in the skin. Even in pathological situations they rarely occur. In contrast, primary cutaneous B‐cell lymphomas (CBCL) are characterized by proliferation of B lymphocytes within the skin. This suggests the existence of a certain microenvironment supporting homing and expansion of clonal B cells. Cytokines were demonstrated to be involved in the pathogenesis of cutaneous lymphomas of T‐cell origin. Cytokine expression in cutaneous B‐cell lymphoma lesions, however, has not been investigated so far. Therefore, the mRNA level of several cytokines was analyzed in biopsies from 7 patients with CBCL and compared to pleomorphic T‐cell lymphoma ( n =6), psoriasis ( n =9), and healthy skin ( n =7), using a competitive RT‐PCR approach. An overexpression of TNF‐α, IL‐10, and IL‐6 was found. Enhanced IL‐8 mRNA expression was detected in 2/7 cases. The overexpression of IL‐6 and IL‐10 in CBCL might be of particular importance, since these cytokines are considered to support B‐cell growth. Additionally, the overexpression of IL‐10 may contribute to tumor progression since this immunosuppressive cytokine might be involved in downregulation of immunological tumor surveillance, in part by inhibiting type 1 cytokine formation. In fact, we did not detect IFN‐γ and IL‐2 expression. Taken together, we found a cytokine pattern in CBCL lesions which might contribute to tumor B‐cell growth.