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.