Tadaatsu Akagi

Immunohistochemical study on the distribution of α and β subunits of S-100 protein in human neoplasm and normal tissues

SummaryThe immunohistochemical distribution and localization of the α and β subunits of S-100 protein in human neoplasms and normal tissues were studied by the PAP method using monospecific rabbit antibodies against each subunit, β subunit immunoreactivity was detected in all S-100-positive cells and tumors reported previously. In contrast a subunit immunoreactivity was absent from Schwann cells, schwannomas, neurofibromas, granular cell myoblastomas, pituicytes of the neurohypophysis, Langerhans cells, interdigitating reticulum cells, and histiocytosis X cells. Interestingly, only the α subunit was detected in neurons of both central and peripheral nervous system, and in lymph node macrophages. Human S-100-positive cells are divided into three groups; the first is composed of cells containing only the β subunit (probably S-100 b; ββ), the second consists of cells containing both the a and β subunits, and the third is composed of cells containing only the α subunit (probably S-100ao; αα). The ontogentic relationships between S-100-positive cells and tumors are discussed in the light of these findings.

Increased Incidence of Follicular Lymphoma in the Duodenum

The incidence of indolent lymphomas in the lymph nodes and extranodal regions is quite different. Follicular lymphoma (FL) is most common in the nodes, and it seems to be least common in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, where mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma arises most frequently. The authors report that the incidence of FL is unexpectedly high in the duodenum compared with other portions of the GI tract. FL was detected in only eight of 222 cases of GI lymphoma (3.6%). However, five cases of FL arose in the duodenum, which accounted for 38.5% of 13 duodenal lymphomas. Only in two patients did FL arise in either the stomach or the colorectum, and in the remaining patients FL was widespread with lymphomatous polyposis. Duodenal FL was composed of neoplastic follicles with small cleaved cells in dominance, and the immunophenotype of the lymphoma cells was CD10+, BCL-2+, CD20+, CD75+, CD79+, CD3-, CD5-, cyclin D1-, CD23-, and CD45RO-. All the patients were women age 37 to 66 years (average age, 52.4 yrs). In all patients the lymphoma was present around the ampulla of Vater, and four of five patients showed multiple small-size polyps. Although lymphoma cell infiltration was confined to the submucosa in the four patients examined, the regional lymph nodes were involved partially in two patients without distant metastasis. All patients are alive at 2 to 50 months of follow up (average, 27 mos), which is comparable with the prognosis for indolent nodal lymphomas. These results suggest that the duodenum has a distinct background of histogenesis of the lymphomas and that biopsy specimens from the duodenum with multiple polyps should be examined carefully.

Clinical, Histopathological, and Immunogenetic Analysis of Ocular Adnexal Lymphoproliferative Disorders: Characterization of MALT Lymphoma and Reactive Lymphoid Hyperplasia

Malignant lymphomas and reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) in the ocular adnexa are sometimes difficult to differentiate morphologically and have often been categorized together as a lymphoproliferative disorder. Immunogenotypic characters of these diseases have not yet been well clarified. This study included 76 cases of ocular adnexal lymphoproliferative disorders. These consisted of 52 cases of malignant lymphoma (43 primary and 9 secondary), 22 of RLH, and 2 borderline cases. There were slightly more male than female subjects. Diagnoses were based on morphology and immunophenotypic characteristics. Clonalities were detected by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (VH) genes were sequenced in 10 cases of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. MALT lymphoma constituted 86% (37 cases) of the primary lymphomas. MALT lymphomas were more indolent, more rarely disseminated, and had a lower death rate than the other primary lymphomas. Two patients exhibited coexistence of MALT and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The average age of patients with RLH was 5.5 years younger than that of those with MALT lymphoma. One of the cases of RLH later progressed to malignant lymphoma. B-cell clonality was detected by PCR in 57%, 55%, and 0% of primary lymphomas, MALT lymphomas and RLHs, respectively. Sequencing of VH genes revealed that the VH3 family was the most commonly expressed germline VH family (70%) and that DP-63, DP-54 and DP-47 genes were frequently found in the MALT lymphomas examined. PCR analysis was useful for differentiation between MALT lymphoma and RLH. Sequence analysis of VH genes showed that an autoimmune mechanism may be involved in the lymphomagenesis of ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma.

Interleukin-18/interferon-gamma-inducing factor, a novel cytokine, up-regulates ICAM-1 (CD54) expression in KG-1 cells.

Intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1, CD54) is a membrane glycoprotein and a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily. It plays a central role in cell to cell‐mediated immune responses and is a ligand for leukocyte function‐associated antigen‐1 (LFA‐1). We report here that a newly discovered cytokine, interferon‐γ‐inducing factor (IGIF) [H. Okamura et al. (1995) Nature 378, 88] recently proposed to be designated as IL‐18, selectively up‐regulates ICAM‐1 expression in KG‐1 cells, a human myelomonocytic cell line, in which IL‐18 also enhances interferon‐γ production. IL‐18 induced heterotypic aggregation between KG‐1 and Peer T cells, which was blocked by anti‐ICAM‐1 and/or LFA‐1 antibodies. Anti‐interferon‐γ antibody did not block the IL‐18‐induced up‐regulation of ICAM‐1 on KG‐1 cells. These results thus show that IGIF/IL‐18, enhances ICAM‐1 expression in KG‐1 cells in an interferon‐γ‐independent pathway, up‐regulates ICAM‐1 functions, and that IL‐18 might play a potential role in immunoregulation by mediating immune cell infiltration into the tissues. J. Leukoc. Biol. 64: 519–527; 1998.

Reduction of Hematopoietic Cell-Specific Tyrosine Phosphatase SHP-1 Gene Expression in Natural Killer Cell Lymphoma and Various Types of Lymphomas/Leukemias: Combination Analysis with cDNA Expression Array and Tissue Microarray

To investigate the lymphomagenesis of NK/T lymphoma, we comprehensively and systematically analyzed the expression pattern of the human NK/T cell line (NK-YS) genome by cDNA expression array and tissue microarray. We detected significant changes in the gene expression of NK-YS cell line: an increase in 18 and a decrease in 20 genes compared to normal NK cells or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Among these genes, we found a strong decrease in hematopoietic cell specific protein-tyrosine-phosphatase SH-PTP1 (SHP1) mRNA by cDNA expression array and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Further analysis with standard immunohistochemistry and tissue microarray, which used 207 paraffin-embedded specimens of various kinds of malignant lymphomas, showed that 100% of NK/T lymphoma specimens and more than 95% of various types of malignant lymphoma were negative for SHP1 protein expression. On the other hand, SHP1 protein was strongly expressed in the mantle zone and interfollicular zone lymphocytes in reactive lymphoid hyperplasia specimens. In addition, various kinds of hematopoietic cell lines, particularly the highly aggressive lymphoma/leukemia lines, lacked SHP1 expression in vitro, suggesting that loss of SHP1 expression may be related to not only malignant transformation, but also tumor cell aggressiveness. SHP1 expression could not be induced in either of two NK/T cell lines by phorbol ester, suggesting that genetic impairment or modification with methylation of SHP1 DNA could be one of the critical events in the pathogenesis of NK/T lymphoma. This evidence strongly suggests that loss of SHP1 gene expression plays an important role in multistep tumorigenesis, possibly as an anti-oncogene in the wide range of lymphomas/leukemias as well as NK/T lymphomas.

Primary non-Hodgkin malignant lymphoma of the breast. An immunohistochemical study of seven patients and literature review of 152 patients with breast lymphoma in Japan.

Background. The breast is rarely primary site for extranodal malignant lymphoma. Most reported primary non‐Hodgkin malignant lymphomas of the breast (PBL) are of B‐cell phenotype.

Histamine Is a Potent Inducer of IL-18 and IFN-γ in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Histamine (10−7 to 10−4 M) concentration-dependently stimulated the production of IL-18 and IFN-γ and inhibited the production of IL-2 and IL-10 in human PBMCs. Histamine in the same concentration range did not induce the production of IL-12 at all. The stimulatory or inhibitory effects of histamine on cytokine production were all antagonized by H2 receptor antagonists ranitidine and famotidine in a concentration-dependent manner, but not by H1 and H3 receptor antagonists. Selective H2 receptor agonists, 4-methylhistamine and dimaprit, mimicked the effects of histamine on five kinds of cytokine production. The EC50 values of histamine, 4-methylhistamine, and dimaprit for the production of IL-18 were 1.5, 1.0, and 3.8 μM, respectively. These findings indicated that histamine caused cytokine responses through the stimulation of H2 receptors. All effects of histamine on cytokine responses were also abolished by the presence of either anti-IL-18 Ab or IL-1β-converting enzyme/caspase-1 inhibitor, indicating that the histamine action is dependent on mature IL-18 secretion and that IL-18 production is located upstream of the cytokine cascade activated by histamine. The addition of recombinant human IL-18 to the culture concentration-dependently stimulated IL-12 and IFN-γ production and inhibited the IL-2 and IL-10 production. IFN-γ production induced by IL-18 was inhibited by anti-IL-12 Ab, showing the marked contrast of the effect of histamine. Thus histamine is a very important modulator of Th1 cytokine production in PBMCs and is quite unique in triggering IL-18-initiating cytokine cascade without inducing IL-12 production.

Prostaglandin E2 Inhibits IL-18-Induced ICAM-1 and B7.2 Expression Through EP2/EP4 Receptors in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Costimulatory molecules play important roles in immune responses. In the present study we investigated the effects of PGE2 on the expression of ICAM-1, B7.1, and B7.2 on monocytes in IL-18-stimulated PBMC using FACS analysis. Addition of PGE2 to PBMC inhibited ICAM-1 and B7.2 expression elicited by IL-18 in a concentration-dependent manner. We examined the involvement of four subtypes of PGE2 receptors, EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4, in the modulatory effect of PGE2 on ICAM-1 and B7.2 expression elicited by IL-18, using subtype-specific agonists. ONO-AE1–259-01 (EP2R agonist) inhibited IL-18-elicited ICAM-1 and B7.2 expression in a concentration-dependent manner with a potency slightly less than that of PGE2, while ONO-AE1-329 (EP4R agonist) was much less potent than PGE2. The EP2/EP4R agonist 11-deoxy-PGE1 mimicked the effect of PGE2 with the same potency. ONO-D1-004 (EP1R agonist) and ONO-AE-248 (EP3R agonist) showed no effect on IL-18-elicited ICAM-1 or B7.2 expression. These results indicated that EP2 and EP4Rs were involved in the action of PGE2. Dibutyryl cAMP and forskolin down-regulated ICAM-1 and B7.2 expression in IL-18-stimulated monocytes. As EP2 and EP4Rs are coupled to adenylate cyclase, we suggest that PGE2 down-regulates IL-18-induced ICAM-1 and B7.2 expression in monocytes via EP2 and EP4Rs by cAMP-dependent signaling pathways. The fact that anti-B7.2 as well as anti-ICAM-1 Ab inhibited IL-18-induced cytokine production implies that PGE2 may modulate the immune response through regulation of the expression of particular adhesion molecules on monocytes via EP2 and EP4Rs.

Establishment and characterization of a mantle cell lymphoma cell line

A mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) cell line (JeKo‐1) was established from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with a large cell variant of MCL showing leukaemic conversion. JeKo‐1 cells were Epstein‐Barr virus negative and showed a B‐cell phenotype with IgM+, IgD+, CD3−, CD5+, CD10−, CD19+, CD20+ and CD23−; they overexpressed cyclin Dl, Bcl‐2, c‐Myc and Rb proteins. Bcl‐1/JH gene rearrangement was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction, although karyotypic analysis showed 40/41 chromosomes devoid of apparent t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation. JeKo‐1 cells were highly tumourigenic in SCID mice.

Heterogeneity of Dendritic Cells in Human Superficial Lymph Node: In Vitro Maturation of Immature Dendritic Cells into Mature or Activated Interdigitating Reticulum Cells

A two-color immunofluorescent analysis indicated that dendritic cells (DCs) in the human axillar lymph nodes (ie, lymph nodal DCs (LnDCs)) can be classified into three subsets. The first subset consists of CD1a+/CD86(- or dim)/CD83(- or dim) nondendriform DCs found mainly in lymph sinuses, the second is of CD1a-/CD86+/CD83+ dendriform DCs scattered in normal T zones, and the third is of large CD1a(bright)/CD86+/CD83+ dendriform DCs occasionally found in hyperplastic T zones. A three-color flow cytometric analysis, immunoperoxidase staining, and electron microscopic observation indicated that the majority of LnDCs corresponded to the first subset, which showed distinctive characteristics of DCs but did not fulfill the ultrastructural criteria for interdigitating reticulum cells (IDCs) and did not contain Birbeck granules. When LnDCs were cultured for 7 days, they became large CD1a(dim)/CD86+/CD83+ dendriform cells, which formed large complexes with many T cells and exhibited distinctive ultrastructural features of interdigitating reticulum cells. LnDCs cultured in the presence of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor became markedly larger CD1a(bright)/CD86+/CD83+ dendriform cells forming large complexes with numerous T cells. These findings suggest that cells of the first subset represent immature LnDCs just migrating from epidermis, those of the second subset represent interdigitating reticulum cells, and those of the third subset represent interdigitating reticulum cells probably stimulated with certain immunostimulatory cytokines such as granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor. It is also suggested that either the second or the third subsets of LnDCs are derived from the first subset.