Significance of VLA-4 and LFA-1 expressions in neoplastic follicle formation and its deterioration in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

In an attempt to determine the roles of adhesion molecules in the formation and deterioration of neoplastic follicles, we used flow cytometry to investigate how strongly neoplastic B-cells express VLA-4 alpha and LFA-1 alpha on their surfaces. Neoplastic and normal B-cells were taken from 24 patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (B-NHL) and 6 with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). The expression intensities of the adhesion molecules were graded as follows: (-), (+), (+2) and (+3). Normal B-cells expressed those molecules with an intensity of (+2). The data for VLA-4 alpha expression were as follows: follicular B-NHL [10/11; (+2) and 1/11; (+)], partially follicular [5/5; (+)], diffuse [8/8; (+)] and B-CLL [6/6; (-)]. Those for LFA-1 alpha were as follows: follicular B-NHL [7/11; (+2), 4/11; (+)], partially follicular [3/5; (+2), 2/5; (+)], diffuse [3/8; (+2), 5/8; (+)] and B-CLL [3/6; (+), 3/6; (-)]. These results suggest that VLA-4 molecules expressed on neoplastic B-cells may be involved closely in the formation and deterioration of neoplastic follicles, although the expression of LFA-1 molecules seems to play only a minor part in such events.