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Updated: Oct 27, 2025

Enrichment and Characterization of the Tumor Immune and Non-immune Microenvironments in Established Subcutaneous Murine Tumors
Published on: June 7, 2018
Immune Microenvironment Features and Dynamics in Hodgkin Lymphoma
Clara Bertuzzi1, Elena Sabattini1, Claudio Agostinelli1,2
1Haematopathology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Insights
Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) involves unique Reed-Sternberg cells interacting with the tumor microenvironment. This microenvironment influences cHL development and offers potential therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Pathogenesis
Background:
- Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) comprises 10% of lymphoma diagnoses.
- cHL is characterized by Hodgkin cells (HCs) and Reed-Sternberg cells (HRSCs) within a reactive microenvironment (ME).
- HRSCs modulate the ME by releasing cytokines, influencing immune cell function and promoting tumor survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of the ME in cHL pathogenesis and prognosis.
- To explore the ME as a potential therapeutic target in cHL.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on the interaction between HRSCs and the ME.
- Analysis of cytokine production and immune cell modulation within the cHL microenvironment.
Main Results:
- The ME plays a critical role in cHL pathogenesis by supporting tumor cell survival and immune evasion.
- HRSCs actively shape the ME, creating a niche that favors tumor progression.
- Immune cell populations are functionally altered within the ME to provide prosurvival signals to cancer cells.
Conclusions:
- The reactive microenvironment is integral to the development and progression of cHL.
- Targeting the ME presents a promising therapeutic strategy for cHL treatment.
Abstract:
Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) accounts for 10% of all lymphoma diagnosis. The peculiar feature of the disease is the presence of large multinucleated Reed-Sternberg and mononuclear Hodgkin cells interspersed with a reactive microenvironment (ME). Due to the production of a large number of cytokines, Hodgkin cells (HCs) and Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cells (HRSCs) attract and favour the expansion of different immune cell populations, modifying their functional status in order to receive prosurvival stimuli and to turn off the antitumour immune response. To this purpose HRSCs shape a biological niche by organizing the spatial distribution of cells in the ME. This review will highlight the contribution of the ME in the pathogenesis and prognosis of cHL and its role as a possible therapeutic target.
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