Abstract:
Objective To investigate the immunophenotypes, subtypes based on Hans algorithm, and alterations of Bcl-2 and Bcl-6 gene in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) from Chinese patients.
Methods The expression of CD10, BCL-6, MUM1, BCL-2, Ki67 and other markers were detected by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays of 219 DLBCL cases. Hans algorithm was applied to classify DLBCL into GCB and non-GCB subtypes. Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to detect the incidence of Bcl-2 and Bcl-6 gene alterations. Other seven studies published in the last two years on DLBCL from China were collected and analyzed.
Results (1) This study: ① of 219 DLBCL cases, non-GCB subtype (165 cases, 75.3 %) was significantly more common than GCB subtype (54 cases, 24.7 %) (P < 0.001). ② Bcl-2 gene alteration was detected in 49 cases (25.8 %), including 5 cases with the t (14; 18) (2.6 %) which all existed in GCB subtype, and 44 cases of Bcl-2 amplification (23.2 %) which existed in GCB subtype in 4 cases (8.5 %) and in non-GCB subtype in 40 cases (28.0 %) (P = 0.013). ③ Bcl-6 gene rearrangement was detected in 42 cases (22.1 %), which was in GCB in 7 cases (14.9 %) and was in non-GCB in 35 cases (24.5 %) (P = 0.189). ④ a significant negative correlation between Bcl-2 gene amplification and Bcl-6 gene rearrangement was seen (r = - 0.179 6, P = 0.016 8). Amongst 5 cases having the t (14; 18) translocation, 2 cases accompanied by Bcl-6 gene rearrangement. Forty-nine cases with Bcl-2 gene alterations including translocation and amplification were all but one expressing BCL-2 protein, and there was no significant association between Bcl-6 gene rearrangement and BCL-6 protein expression (P = 0.726). ⑤ there was no significant difference between nodal and extranodal DLBCLs in immunophenotypes, subtypes based on Hans algorithm, and Bcl-2 and Bcl-6 gene alterations (P= 0.462, P= 0.426 andP = 0.167). (2) Comprehensive analysis of eight studies: of the total 1, 259 cases, non-GCB subtype (879 cases, 69.8 %) was significantly more common than GCB subtype (380 cases, 30.2 %) (P < 0.001).
Conclusion There are some distinctive features on immunophenotypes and cytogenetic alterations in DLBCL of Chinese patients, which need elucidation by more studies.