LYMPHOMA ADHESION MOLECULES

Lymphoma cells express patterns of adhesion molecules that impart inte raction potential with other cells and extracellular matrix components . The expression of these molecules can be controlled in a tissue-spec ific fashion by developmentally programmed or inducible genetic regula tory mechanisms, while at the single-cell level, adhesion receptor fun ction can be regulated by induction of intracellular biochemical chang es that influence receptor avidity. Ligation of adhesion molecules can lead to secondary signaling events and the positive or negative regul ation of gene expression. Thus adhesion not only provides points for s tatic contact, but can change the phenotype of the adhering cell. Sinc e the adhesive personality of lymphoma cells can be predicted by pheno typic determinations, a systematic evaluation of lymphoma surface adhe sion receptors may provide valuable clues to dissecting the origins of this disease, and promises to provide valuable prognostic indices for predicting lymphoma metastatic patterns.