Cyclin D1 (Bcl-1, PRAD1) protein expression in low-grade B-cell lymphomas and reactive hyperplasia

Mantle cell (centrocytic) lymphoma (MCL) and occasional cases of B-cell small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-SLL/CLL) show a characteristic translocation, t(11:14)(q13;q32) involving rearrangement of the Bcl-1 region. Recently it was shown that the key Bcl-1 region oncogene is cyclin D1/PRAD1; cyclin D1 mRNA was shown to be overexpressed in cases of MCL. We examined cyclin D1 protein expression in low-grade B-cell lymphomas and reactive lymphoid hyperplasias using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to cyclin D1 protein. Definite nuclear staining was seen in 15 of 15 MCLs, 1 of 7 B-SLL/CLLs, 0 of 7 reactive hyperplasias, 0 of 10 follicular lymphomas, and 0 of 4 lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue using immunoperoxidase stains on paraffin-embedded sections. Best results were obtained with the affinity-purified polyclonal antibody on microwave-treated, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. MCLs showed diffuse nuclear staining, whereas the one positive B-SLL/CLL showed dot-like or globular nuclear staining. Nuclear cyclin D1 protein can be detected in all cases of MCL and in rare cases of B-SLL/CLL using an immunohistochemical technique on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue, and it does not appear to be detectable in reactive hyperplasias and other low-grade B-cell lymphomas. This protein may be useful in subclassification of low-grade B-cell lymphomas.