The role of chemokines in Hodgkin's disease

Recent studies have analyzed the expression of chemokines in tissues involv ed by Hodgkin's disease (HD) (1). The data indicate a significant role for chemokine expression in the pathobiology and pathophysiology of HD. In gene ral, HD tissues showed higher levels of chemokine expression than reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) tissues. There were major differences in chemoki ne expression among the different HD subtypes. Similar to previous studies in athymic mice that identified a pattern of chemokine response induced by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected cells, the expression of IP-10, Mig, RANT ES, and MIP1-alpha was higher in EBV positive compared to EBV negative HD t issues. In addition, there was a direct correlation of eotaxin expression w ith tissue eosinophilia. By immunohistochemistry, IP-10 and Mig proteins lo calized in the malignant Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells and their variants, and to some surrounding inflammatory cells. Eotaxin localized to fibroblasts an d smooth muscle of blood vessels. In this review, we discuss the patterns o f expression of IP-10, Mig, RANTES, MIP1-alpha, and eotaxin in HD and its s ubtypes, and the relationship to EBV positivity, LMP1 expression, tissue eo sinophilia and T cell infiltration. In addition, we discuss the potential r ole of chemokines and cytokines in the pathobiology of HD.