Gamma c-signaling cytokines induce a regulatory T cell phenotype in malignant CD4+ T lymphocytes.

In this study, we demonstrate that malignant mature CD4(+) T lymphocytes derived from cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCL) variably display some aspects of the T regulatory phenotype. Whereas seven cell lines representing a spectrum of primary cutaneous T cell lymphoproliferative disorders expressed CD25 and TGF-beta, the expression of FOXP3 and, to a lesser degree, IL-10 was restricted to two CTCL cell lines that are dependent on exogenous IL-2. IL-2, IL-15, and IL-21, all of which signals through receptors containing the common gamma chain, induced expression of IL-10 in the IL-2-dependent cell lines as well as primary leukemic CTCL cells. However, only IL-2 and IL-15, but not IL-21, induced expression of FOXP3. The IL-2-triggered induction of IL-10 and FOXP3 expression occurred by signaling through STAT3 and STAT5, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis of the CTCL tissues revealed that FOXP3-expressing cells were common among the CD7-negative enlarged atypical and small lymphocytes at the early skin patch and plaque stages. Their frequency was profoundly diminished at the tumor stage and in the CTCL lymph node lesions with or without large cell transformation. These results indicate that the T regulatory cell features are induced in CTCL T cells by common gamma chain signaling cytokines such as IL-2 and do not represent a fully predetermined, constitutive phenotype independent of the local environmental stimuli to which these malignant mature CD4(+) T cells become exposed.

Immunohistochemical analysis of hSNF5/INI1 in pediatric CNS neoplasms.

Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) may be misdiagnosed as primitive neuroectodermal tumor/medulloblastoma (PNET) and occasionally as other tumors. Molecular genetic analysis of AT/RT demonstrates deletion and mutation of the hSNF5/INI1 gene in most cases, with decreased or absent expression at the RNA or protein level. Immunohistochemistry with an antibody to INI1 was performed to determine whether this would be a sensitive and specific means of assessing INI1 loss in pediatric brain tumors. Fifty-three tumors consisting of 20 AT/RTs, 10 PNETs, and 23 other central nervous system tumors were examined. No nuclear staining was found in all 20 AT/RTs. Most other central nervous system tumors demonstrated nuclear staining. Eight cases in which classification as AT/RT or PNET was difficult were also examined. Seven cases had no chromosome 22 deletion or INI1 mutation; INI1 antibody showed nuclear staining in these cases. One case was a recurrent tumor with features consistent with an AT/RT. INI1 immunostaining was negative in this case, and a mutation in INI1 was subsequently identified. Immunohistochemical staining with an INI1 antibody correlates with molecular findings in AT/RT and may be useful in confirming the histologic diagnosis. INI1 immunostaining may have particular utility in the analysis of tumors with indeterminate histologic features or atypical immunophenotypic profiles.

Immunohistochemical detection of Aspergillus species in pediatric tissue samples.

Definitive diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis often requires tissue samples for histologic evidence of fungal infection and culture confirmation of Aspergillus species. However, the culture frequently fails to isolate Aspergillus species. Alternative approaches to confirm Aspergillus infection use polymerase chain reaction, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemical analysis on paraffin-embedded sections. These approaches are well characterized in animals and adult patients but not pediatric patients. We studied the immunoreactivity of a commercially available monoclonal antibody, Mab-WF-AF-1 (DAKO, Carpinteria, CA), on paraffin-embedded sections from 16 pediatric cases with invasive aspergillosis, of which 12 were proven by culture. Optimal immunoreactivity required microwave antigen retrieval using high pH; 5 other antigen retrieval approaches were unsuccessful. With optimization, the monoclonal antibody was strongly immunoreactive in all cases with staining of the Aspergillus cell wall, septa, and cytoplasm. Background was minimal with no cross-reactivity to Candida albicans. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of the Mab-WF-AF-1 antibody in pediatric tissues suspected of invasive aspergillosis.

Percentage of {gamma}{delta} T cells in panniculitis by paraffin immunohistochemical analysis.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas with panniculitis-like histologic features have different clinical courses depending on whether they are composed of alphabeta T cells or gammadelta T cells, necessitating their distinction for proper prognostication. However, unlike alphabeta T cells, gammadelta T cells cannot be reliably detected in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections. We demonstrated that a commercially available antibody can detect gammadelta T cells and examined 2 cases of flow cytometry-proven gammadelta T-cell lymphomas and 15 control cases of nonneoplastic panniculitis. In both lymphomas, the atypical lymphocytes were gammadelta T cells, whereas the reactive lymphocytes were alphabeta T cells. In contrast, nonneoplastic panniculitis had predominantly alphabeta T cells with many fewer and individually scattered gammadelta T cells. The detection of gammadelta T cells in paraffin sections provides a powerful new tool to characterize T cells in lymphomas and inflammation.

Interlobular bile duct loss in pediatric cholestatic disease is associated with aberrant cytokeratin 7 expression by hepatocytes.

The objective of this study was to determine whether aberrant hepatic expression of cytokeratin 7 (CK7) and/or other putative stem cell markers is seen in pediatric cholestatic diseases. Eighteen liver biopsies and 14 liver explants from pediatric patients with extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA), Alagille syndrome (AGS), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), inborn errors of bile acid synthesis, and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) were examined along with 5 histologically normal control liver biopsies. Immumohistochemical stains (CK7, CD56, and OV6) were performed on paraffin-embedded tissue. Staining of interlobular bile ducts (ILBD), proliferating bile ductules, and hepatocytes was scored using a semiquantitative scale. There were significant differences in CK7 staining of hepatocytes among the cholestatic diseases (P < 0.006). All cases with AGS showed CK7 hepatocyte staining, while EHBA and PSC had variable hepatocyte staining. Patients with PFIC had prominent CK7 hepatocyte staining, while those with inborn errors of bile acid synthesis had little. Control biopsies showed rare hepatocyte staining. Analysis based on the presence or absence of ILBD revealed significantly more CK7 hepatocyte staining in cases with loss of ILBD (P < 0.001). CD56 staining of hepatocytes was also present more frequently in cases with absent or reduced ILBD. Regardless of underlying disease, loss of ILBD is a major determinant of aberrant expression of CK7 by hepatocytes. Aberrant CK7 expression may reflect a metaplastic change to a "stem cell" phenotype induced by loss of contact with the more distal biliary tree.