Expression of beta-integrin adhesion molecules in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: Correlation with clinical and evolutive features

Purpose: To analyze beta-integrin expression in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NH Ls) in order to assess its distribution among histologic subtypes and corre late with clinical features and outcome. Patients and Methods: The expression of alpha 2 through alpha 6 and beta 1 common chains of very late activation antigen (VLA ) molecules and alpha L (CD11a) and beta 2 common (CD18) chains of leukocyte Function-associated an tigen 1 molecule were studied in 137 patients with NHL. Immunostaining was performed by a streptavidin-biotin alkaline phosphatase method, and integri n expression was semiquantitatively assessed. Correlation with clinical fea tures was analyzed in 80 patients consecutively diagnosed as having immunoc ytoma (five cases), follicular lymphoma (19 cases), mantle-cell lymphoma (M CL; four cases), diffuse large-cell lymphoma (DLCL; 40 cases), lymphoblasti c lymphoma (LL; six cases), anaplastic Ki-1-positive lymphoma (one case), a nd other peripheral T-cell lymphoma (five cases). Results: MCL cells did not show alpha 2 and alpha 6 expression, whereas mos t expressed weak to moderate levels of alpha 3, alpha 4, and alpha 5. LL mo stly showed alpha 2 to alpha 5 expression, whereas alpha 6 was observed in seven of 11 cases (higher proportion than that shown in other subgroups). A lpha chains of VLA molecules were present more frequently in T-cell than in B-cell lymphomas. patients with moderate/strong alpha 4, CD11a, and beta 2 common chain expression presented more frequently with advanced stage and bone marrow infiltration. Moderate/ strong alpha 4, alpha 5, and beta 1 com mon chain expression correlated with extranodal involvement. In the subset of B-cell DLCL patients, negative/weak expression of alpha 3 and alpha 4 ch ains was related to a higher complete response rate. Moreover, negative or week expression of alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 4, and beta 1 common chain had f avorable significance for overall and failure-free survivals. Conclusion: In NHL, beta-integrin expression is related to histologic subty pe. The expression pattern of these molecules probably influences disease d issemination and patients' prognoses. (C) 1999 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.