Annals of Oncology 8:S97-S100, 1997
© 1997 European Society for Medical Oncology
CD30-ligand and CD40-ligand expression in lymph nodes involved with Hodgkin's disease
1 Sections of Lymphoma and Molecular Hematology and Therapeutics, the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX
2 Immunex Corporation Seattle, WA, USA
Correspondence to: Anas Younes, MD Section of Lymphoma Box 68 The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX 77030 USA
Background Reed-Sternberg cells of Hodgkin's disease express CD30 and CD40 receptors. The ligands for these receptors have been reported to have pleiotropic biologic activities in vitro, including induction of cell death and enhancing cell survival. Co-expression of the ligands for these receptors in lymph nodes involved with Hodgkin's disease is not known.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine CD30 ligand (L) and CD40L expression in lymph nodes of patients with Hodgkin's disease, and to study CD30L expression on nodal lymphocyte subsets.
Materials and methods CD30L expression on subsets of lymphocytes of five lymph nodes involved with Hodgkin's disease was determined by two-color FACScan. Messenger RNA expression of CD30L and CD40L was determined by the method performed on seven specimens involved with Hodgkin's disease (five lymph nodes and two spleens).
Results Four of seven specimens (57%) contained cells that expressed CD30L mRNA and three specimens (43%) contained CD40L-expressing cells. The mean percentage of nodal lymphocytes expressing CD30L surface protein was 
20%.
Conclusion Hodgkin's disease lymph nodes and spleens frequently lack CD30L- and CD40L-expressing cells, and when CD30L is expressed, it is usually detected on few numbers of lymphocytes. The balance in the level of expression of these ligands in Hodgkin's disease lymph nodes may be related to the disease's clinical behavior.
CD30L, CD40L, FasL, Hodgkin's disease