Detection of T-regulatory cells has a potential role in the diagnosis of classical Hodgkin lymphoma

✍ Scribed by David S. Bosler; Vonda K. Douglas-Nikitin; Valerie N. Harris; Marc D. Smith

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 409 KB
• Volume: 74B
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1552-4949
• DOI: 10.1002/cyto.b.20407

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated an increase in T‐regulatory cells in the involved lymph nodes and peripheral blood of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. Our study examined whether the detection of T‐regulatory cells by flow cytometry could distinguish classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) from benign cases and B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphomas (B‐NHL). We measured CD4, CD25, and CD152 in 14 CHLs, 2 nodular lymphocyte‐predominant Hodgkin lymphomas, 31 B‐NHLs, and 54 benign cases. All T‐regulatory cell parameters, including percent lymphocytes CD4+/CD152+ and CD4+/CD25+/CD152+, and mean and median CD152 expression in CD4+/CD25+ lymphocytes, were higher in CHL than in B‐NHL and benign. Mean CD152 in CD4+/CD25+ lymphocytes distinguished CHL from benign with 79% sensitivity and 100% specificity, and from B‐NHL with 71% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Overall, our results show that T‐regulatory cells are increased in CHL and their detection may be a useful tool in differentiating CHL from other entities. © 2008 Clinical Cytometry Society