CADHERINS IN REACTIVE LYMPH-NODES AND LYMPHOMAS - HIGH EXPRESSION IN ANAPLASTIC LARGE-CELL LYMPHOMAS

Using a polyclonal pan-cadherin antibody and a monoclonal E-cadherin a ntibody (HECD-1) we have investigated cadherin expression in lymphomas and reactive lymph nodes, Routinely processed tissue from nine reacti ve lymph nodes and 48 lymphomas (six T-cell, six high-grade B-cell, 15 low-grade B-cell, 13 anaplastic large cell and eight Hodgkin's diseas e) were immunostained, The reactive cases showed pan-cadherin membrane associated staining of endothelium and epithelioid granulomas, No sta ining of lymphoid cells was seen, Pan-cadherin immunostaining was pres ent in three of six T-cell lymphomas, two of six high-grade B-cell lym phomas, 12 of 13 anaplastic large cell lymphomas and three of eight ca ses of Hodgkin's disease, No staining of low-grade B-cell lymphomas wa s identified with the pan-cadherin antibody, E-cadherin was not detect ed in any of the lymphomas that showed pan-cadherin expression, The fr equent and strongest cadherin expression in anaplastic large cell is n oteworthy, The tumour cells of this lymphoma subtype are characterized by copious cytoplasm and a cohesive appearance, features which impart a superficial resemblance to carcinoma cells, Since cadherin molecule s are known to have major morpho-regulatory functions our data suggest s that the expression of cadherin molecules by anaplastic large cell l ymphomas may play an important role in determining their characteristi c epithelioid phenotype.