Characterization of factor XIII containing-macrophages in lymph nodes with Hodgkin's disease

A large number of cells containing subunit a of blood coagulation Factor XIII (FXIII) was detected by immunoperoxidase staining in lymph nodes with Hodgkin's disease. These relatively large, multipolar, mononuclear cells were often found in the immediate vicinity of malignant Hodgkin's cells. Intensive characterization of these cells carried out by immunofluorescent and enzymecytochemical techniques in double- and triple-labelling systems on the same sections clearly demonstrated that they represent tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs). FXIII containing-cells showed alpha-naphtyl acetate esterase (ANAE) positivity, and were labelled by monoclonal anti-Leu M3 antibody, a monocyte/macrophage marker, but not at all or only very weakly by anti-HLA-DR. Neither alkaline phosphatase (ALP) nor adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity could be detected in these cells and surprisingly, they were consistently negative for acid phosphatase (AcP) as well. The presence of FXIII subunit a in tumour-associated macrophages suggests that this cell type might have an important role in the stabilization of fibrin deposits around tumour cells.