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Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 2001 Mar;54(3):224–228. doi: 10.1136/jcp.54.3.224

Expression of killer cell inhibitory receptors is restricted to true NK cell lymphomas and a subset of intestinal enteropathy-type T cell lymphomas with a cytotoxic phenotype

D Dukers 1, M Vermeer 1, L Jaspars 1, C Sander 1, M Flaig 1, W Vos 1, R Willemze 1, C Meijer 1
PMCID: PMC1731389  PMID: 11253136

Abstract

Background/Aims—Killer inhibitory receptors (KIR) have a modulating effect on the cytotoxic functions of natural killer (NK) cells and T cells. Because lymphoma cells often have the same receptors as their non-neoplastic counterparts, this study investigated the expression of KIR on well defined groups of NK and T cell lymphomas, with and without a cytotoxic phenotype, from different sites of origin.

Methods—Nine CD56+/CD3- NK cell lymphomas, 29 CD3+/CD56- T cell lymphomas with a cytotoxic phenotype, and 19 T cell lymphomas without a cytotoxic phenotype were stained for KIR using monoclonal antibodies specific for CD94, CD158a, and CD158b. In addition, the expression of KIR was studied on normal lymphoid tissues.

Results—KIR expression was seen in five of nine true NK cell lymphomas including three of four nasal, one of four cutaneous, and one of one intestinal lymphoma nasal type. Double staining for CD56 and CD94 in normal lymphoid tissues revealed that KIR was predominantly expressed by CD56+ NK cells and sporadically on CD8+ T cells. Moreover, enteropathy-type T cell lymphomas with a cytotoxic phenotype showed KIR expression (three cases expressing CD94 and one case expressing CD158a). All nodal and extranodal non-intestinal T cell lymphomas with or without a cytotoxic phenotype lacked expression of KIR.

Conclusions—These results show that KIR expression is restricted to CD56+/CD3- true NK cell lymphomas originating from the nose, gut, and skin, as well as in a subset of extranodal T cell lymphomas originating from the small intestine, which possessed a cytotoxic phenotype. Thus, the presence of KIR on NK/T cell lymphomas seems to mimic the distribution of KIR found on NK and T cells in normal lymphoid tissue.

Key Words: lymphoma • granzyme B • killer inhibitory receptors • CD94

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Figure 1 Staining of a tonsil for CD94. CD94 positive cells are predominantly detected in the paracortical areas of tonsils. gc, germinal centre; pc, paracortical area.

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Figure 2 Immunofluorescent double staining for (A) CD56 (red) and (B) CD94 (blue) on normal tonsil. (C) CD56+/CD94+ natural killer (NK) cells (purple) are indicated by arrows, whereas arrowheads indicate CD56+/CD94- NK cells.

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Figure 3 (A) Killer cell inhibitory receptor (KIR) expression on a CD56+/CD3- nasal natural killer cell lymphoma. In addition, neoplastic cells were (B) positive for CD94 and (C) CD158a, but (D) negative for CD158b.

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