The ratio of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells to granzyme B+ cytotoxic T/NK cells predicts prognosis in classical Hodgkin lymphoma and is independent of bcl-2 and MAL expression

Am J Clin Pathol. 2007 Dec;128(6):958-65. doi: 10.1309/NB3947K383DJ0LQ2.

Abstract

We studied the prognostic importance of tumor-infiltrating regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) and cytotoxic T/NK lymphocytes (CTLs) in 98 diagnostic biopsy specimens from patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Immunohistochemical analysis was performed for FOXP3 to identify Tregs and for granzyme B (GrB) to identify activated CTLs. Failure-free survival (FFS) and overall survival (OS) were clinical end points. Patients with fewer than 25 FOXP3+ cells per high-power field (HPF) had a mean +/- SD 5-year FFS of 64% +/- 7% vs 85% +/- 5% for patients with 25 or more FOXP3+ cells/HPF (P = .05). A FOXP3/GrB ratio of 1 or less was associated with poor FFS (46% +/- 10% vs 86% +/- 4%; P < .001) and OS (67% +/- 10% vs 93% +/- 3%; P < .001). When prior available MAL and bcl-2 expression data were included in a multivariate analysis of all clinical and biologic factors, a FOXP3/GrB ratio of 1 or less and tumor cell expression of MAL and bcl-2 all independently predicted poor FFS. This demonstrates the importance of evaluating tumor cell markers and the tumor immune infiltrate when considering biologic prognostic markers in cHL.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Cell Count
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Granzymes / metabolism*
  • Hodgkin Disease / immunology*
  • Hodgkin Disease / mortality
  • Hodgkin Disease / pathology
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / immunology
  • Male
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Middle Aged
  • Myelin Proteins / metabolism*
  • Myelin and Lymphocyte-Associated Proteolipid Proteins
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Proteolipids / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • Tissue Array Analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • FOXP3 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • MAL protein, human
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Myelin Proteins
  • Myelin and Lymphocyte-Associated Proteolipid Proteins
  • Proteolipids
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Granzymes