Lectin binding patterns in diffuse large cell lymphoma.

Abstract

The staining reaction of a panel of lectins in paraffin embedded lymph node specimens of diffuse large cell lymphoma was studied in relation to survival. In 47 of 49 patients, varying degrees of lectin binding were observed with Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA), crude extract of Arachis hypogaea (c-PNA), Concanavalin ensiformis A (Con A), Triticum vulgaris A (WGA) and Phaseolus vulgaris A (PHA). Binding was either absent or only minimal with Pisum sativum A (PSA) and Lens culinaris A (LCA). Two categories of binding were observed: cell surface and cytoplasmic. Cell surface binding was seen in tumor cells, while cytoplasmic binding was observed in macrophage-histiocytes. Varying numbers of tumor cells were stained with RCA, WGA, c-PNA or PHA; but with Con A virtually no tumor cells were stained. Stromal macrophage-histiocytes were stained with RCA, WGA, or Con A in all but one case, frequently with all three lectins; c-PNA binding macrophage-histiocytes were absent in one third of the cases. With PHA the staining of stromal macrophage-histiocytes was extremely rare. Tumor cells that stained with RCA but not with c-PNA were observed in 9 of 15 patients who survived more than 2 years after diagnosis. In all 15 long-term survivors, stromal macrophage-histiocytes were positive for c-PNA. Tumor cells that reacted with c-PNA but not with RCA were seen in five patients who survived less than two years. All 16 patients whose tumors lacked c-PNA binding stromal macrophage-histiocytes in the presence of RCA binding macrophage-histiocytes were short-term survivors. These observations suggest the heterogeneity of stromal macrophage-histiocytes as well as that of tumor cells. Furthermore, the variation of lectin binding might be useful in assessing prognosis.