Nasal T/NK cell lymphomas commonly express perforin and Fas ligand: important mediators of tissue damage

Abstract

Tissue damage is a common morphological feature in nasal T/NK cell lymphoma. The above findings therefore support the theory that tissue damage is due to both the cytotoxicity of T/NK lymphoma cells as well as to angiocentricity.

Local tumor invasiveness is more predictive of survival than International Prognostic Index in stage IE/IIE extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type

“…Furthermore, there was evidence that cytotoxic molecules, such as perforin, granzyme B, and Fas ligand, produced tissue damage that was also induced by angiocentricity. 36 Therefore, we should observe the correlation of LTI with plasma EBV DNA and also find cytotoxic molecules associated with LTI in the future.…”

Expression of Cytotoxic Proteins by Neoplastic T Cells in Mycosis Fungoides Increases with Progression from Plaque Stage to Tumor Stage Disease

“…However, studies in malignant lymphomas demonstrated that not only reactive cytotoxic leukocytes but also the neoplastic cells in various types of malignant lymphomas expressed these cytotoxic proteins. [12][13][14] Apart from rare NK/T-cell lymphomas, 15,16 expression of granzyme B (GrB), TIA-1, and perforin was noted in 70 to 90% of noncutaneous CD30 ϩ anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCL) of T-or null-cell phenotype and in sporadic cases of Hodgkin's disease. [17][18][19] In primary cutaneous lymphomas, recent studies demonstrated expression of GrB and TIA-1 proteins in variable proportions of neoplastic cells in most cases of lymphomatoid papulosis and primary cutaneous CD30 ϩ ALCL, but not or rarely in CD30 Ϫ primary cutaneous large T-cell lymphomas.…”

Leukemia and Lymphoma of Natural Killer Cells

“…Interestingly, hypersensitivity to mosquito bites is sometimes a preceding feature of NK-cell leukemia, particularly in younger patients [33][34][35] , but, in rare circumstances, is more consistent with a T-cell phenotype. Most ENKL cells also express cytotoxic granule-associated proteins, such as perforin, granzyme B, TIA-1, and granzyme M [53][54][55][56][57][58][59] . Increased expression of Fas-ligand is commonly seen in ENKL, but this is nonspecific and seen in a number of aggressive lymphomas 55,[60][61][62] .…”