In Vivo Expression of the B7 Costimulatory Molecule by Subsets of Antigen-Presenting Cells and the Malignant Cells of Hodgkin’s Disease

• Published in: Blood Vol. 83; no. 3; pp. 793 - 798
• Main Authors: Munro, J. Michael, Freedman, Arnold S., Aster, Jon C., Gribben, John G., Lee, Nina C., Rhynhart, Kurt K., Banchereau, Jacques, Nadler, Lee M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Elsevier Inc 01.02.1994; The Americain Society of Hematology
• Subjects: Antigen-Presenting Cells - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; B7-1 Antigen - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; CD28 Antigens - analysis; Cell Communication; Dendritic Cells - immunology; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hodgkin Disease - immunology; Humans; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Macrophages - immunology; Medical sciences; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Human; Lymphoproliferative syndrome; Exploration; Hodgkin disease; Malignant hemopathy; Gene expression; Lymphoma; Tumor cell
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V83.3.793.793

The B-lymphocyte/accessory-cell activation antigen B7 (BB1) has been shown in vitro to stimulate T-lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production via CD28 present on the latter cells. In this study, benign lymphoid tissues, lymphomas, and extralymphoid inflammatory sites were examined immunohistochemically using anti-B7 and other relevant monoclonal antibodies. B7 was expressed by benign transformed germinal center B cells, as it was by B cells of follicular lymphomas. B7 was also expressed by a subpopulation (a mean of 31 % to 65%) of macrophages and dendritic cells in a variety of lymphoid tissues. It was present in abundance on all macrophages constituting sarcoid granulomas in lymph nodes. In extralymphoid inflammation, 17% to 35% of macrophages expressed B7 only weakly. Cases of Hodgkin’s disease showed expression of B7 by the majority of Reed-Sternberg cells or malignant mononuclear variants, a phenomenon that potentially contributes to the lymphocytic accumulation that is a feature of this condition. CD28+ T cells were seen in all areas where T cells were present. B7+ and CD28+ cells co-localized in, for example, lymphoid follicles, lymph node paracortex, sarcoid granulomas, and Hodgkin’s disease tissue, indicating a potential for cellular interaction via these molecules at these sites.