Reed-Sternberg cells in classical Hodgkin lymphoma in children seem to be predominantly oestrogen receptor α negative and oestrogen receptor β positive
Głuszko, R.ł; Zielezińska, K.; Ociepa, T.; Kamieńska, E.żb.; Chosia, M.; Urasiński, T.; Urasińska, E.żb.; Domagała, W.
Polish Journal of Pathology Official Journal of the Polish Society of Pathologists 62(2): 79-83
2011
ISSN/ISBN: 1233-9687 PMID: 21866462 Document Number: 652123
Oestrogen receptor α (ERα) is responsible for activation of gene transcription, while oestrogen receptor β (ERβ) serves as a negative regulator of ERα function. Since ER status is a prognostic and predictive factor in some cancers, we analysed the immunohistochemical expression of ERα and ERβ in Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells in paraffin-embedded lymph node specimens from 27 children with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in relation to histological type, clinical stage, age, and gender. Percentage of RS cells with positive nuclear reaction for the presence of ERα and/or ERβ was assessed. ERα positive RS cells were present in 11% (3/27) of lymph nodes (range 1-8%, mean 0.4%) whereas ERβ positive RS cells were detected in 96% (26/27) of lymph nodes (range 1-97.5%, mean 61.8%). The highest percentage of ERβ positive RS cells was observed in patients with the most advanced (IVB) disease as compared to patients with lower stages (90.3% vs. 56.9% respectively, p = 0.004). To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the expression of ERβ in RS cells in children. We conclude that RS cells in classical HL in children seem to be mainly ERβ positive and ERα negative.