PRDM1/BLIMP-1 expression in multiple B and T-cell lymphoma
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Published on: May 10, 2017
José-Francisco Garcia1, Giovanna Roncador, Juan-Fernando García
1Monoclonal Antibodies Unit, Biotechnology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain. jgarcia@cnio.es
Background And Objectives:
The positive regulatory domain I (PRDM1) protein or BLIMP-1, belonging to the PRDM gene family of transcriptional repressors, is a key regulator of terminal differentiation in B-lymphocytes and is critical for plasma cell differentiation.
Design And Methods:
Here we document the expression of PRDM1 in normal and neoplastic lymphoid cells, through the use of a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the molecule in paraffin-embedded tissue sections. A large series of B and T-cell lymphomas (679 cases) was studied, using tissue microarrays.
Results:
Multiple myeloma, plasmacytoma and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma cases (n=19) were positive. Plasmablastic lymphoma, oral mucosa-type (n=15), were also found to be positive. PRDM1 protein was expressed in some cases of B-cell neoplasia, i.e. chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (15%), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (43%), classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (41%) and also in T-cell lymphoma (23%).
Interpretation And Conclusions:
Most B-neoplastic cells showing plasmablastic differentiation were PRDM1-positive. Unexpectedly, a subset of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma expressed PRDM1, lacked detectable plasmablastic or immunoblastic changes and displayed more aggressive behavior, with a shorter failure-free survival. In contrast to normal B-cells, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cases with increased PRDM1 expression co-expressed BCL-6 and MUM1/IRF4, confirming that PRDM1 expression in these tumors is insufficient to drive the full genetic program associated with plasmacytic differentiation.
