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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
Murine Model of CD40-activation of B cells
Published on: March 5, 2010
The expression of CD23 and CD40 in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphomas
1Department of Pathology, Weill Medical College of Medicine, NY 10021, USA. cym2003@med.cornell.edu
Insights
CD23 expression, typically absent in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma, was observed in nine patients. This finding in neoplastic B cells may indicate a survival advantage, potentially leading to recurrent disease.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Dermatology
- Oncology
Background:
- CD23 expression in normal B cells is restricted to specific subsets.
- CD23 is a marker for certain hematologic malignancies like chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
- Absence of CD23 is characteristic of marginal zone and mantle cell lymphomas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenomenon of CD23 expression in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma.
- To determine the clinical significance of CD23 expression in this context.
Main Methods:
- Case series reporting on nine patients with cutaneous B-cell lymphoma.
- Immunohistochemical analysis including CD23 and CD40 staining.
Main Results:
- CD23 expression was detected in neoplastic cells of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma in nine patients.
- Expression was noted in recurrent disease settings, involving both small and large lymphocytes.
- CD23 staining largely paralleled CD40 staining.
Conclusions:
- CD23 upregulation may be linked to the CD40-CD40 ligand pathway, promoting B-cell survival.
- Neoplastic B cells with CD23 expression might possess a survival advantage.
- This could predispose to disease recurrence and progression.
Background:
CD23 expression in normal B lymphocytes is limited to autoreactive B cells, naïve B cells and mature B cells manifesting an activated phenotype. As a marker of hematologic dyscrasia/malignancy, expression of CD23 is associated with small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia. An absence of CD23 expression within small lymphocytes is typically seen in marginal zone lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma. Positive CD23 expression amidst neoplastic cells in primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma is not a reported phenomenon.
Methods:
This paper reports nine patients with cutaneous B-cell lymphoma manifesting CD23 expression.
Results:
In seven of the nine cases CD23 expression was observed in the setting of recurrent disease, being present in both large and small lymphocytes. CD23 expression paralleled staining for CD40 in all but one case.
Conclusions:
A potential mechanism of CD23 upregulation may involve the anti-apoptotic nuclear kappa beta CD40-CD40 ligand pathway. Neoplastic B cells manifesting CD23 expression could have a survival advantage, predisposing to recurrent disease and or oncogenic events permissive to disease progression.
