Cytokine expression in Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma tissues.

We examined immunohistochemically the expression of cytokines in Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas utilizing formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues.In 29 cases of Hodgkin's disease, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-4, IL-1 and IL-5 were positive in RS cells in 18 (62.1%), 13 (44.8%), 11 (31.9%), 9 (31.0%) and 4 (13.8%) cases, respectively. MC and NS type cases showed more frequent cytokine expression than other type cases. These findings were comparable to those reported previously.In 32 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, TNF-α (18 cases, 56.3%), IL-6 (17 cases, 53.1%) and IL-4 (15 cases, 46.9%) were the cytokines frequently expressed, as were in Hodgkin's disease. T and B cell lymphomas showed similar frequency of cytokine expression. ALCL most closely resembled in cytokine expression to Hodgkin's disease.There were statistically positive corelation between expression of IL-1 α and IL-5 as well as non-expression of IL-1 α and IL-2. These findings suggested active cytokine network operative in the lymphomatous tissue. There were also evidences that cytokine activity influenced the morphological complexity of the lymphomatous tissue.