PURPOSE: Tumor stromal microenvironment promotes neoplastic growth and angiogenesis. We have previously shown that recruitment of marrow-derived vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1(+) (VEGFR-1(+)) proangiogenic hematopoietic progenitors contributes instructively and structurally to neoangiogenesis in mouse models. Here, we investigated whether stromal incorporation of CD68(+) hemangiogenic cells and alpha-smooth muscle actin(+) (alpha-SMA(+)) stromal cells correlates with neoangiogenesis and progression in human non-Hodgkin's lymphoma subtypes. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Spatial localizations of vascular and stromal cells expressing CD34, VEGFR-1, alpha-SMA, and CD68 were examined by immunohistochemistry in 42 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), and compared with benign follicular hyperplasia. RESULTS: Compared with indolent lymphomas, there was a profound increase in recruitment of CD68(+) cells and VEGFR-1(+) neovessels in aggressive subtypes (including those transformed from indolent subtypes), where CD68(+) cells were localized to the perivascular region of neovessels as well as the stromal compartment. The perivascular CD68(+) cells expressed VEGFR-1 and VEGF-A. In contrast, there was a diffuse increase in alpha-SMA incorporation throughout the stromal compartment of indolent subtype of CLL/SLL compared with the scant perivascular pattern in aggressive subtypes. Overall, there was no correlation between CD34(+) microvessel density and lymphoma histologic subtype. CONCLUSIONS: Heightened stromal hemangiogenesis as marked by infiltration of proangiogenic VEGFR-1(+)CD68(+)VEGF-A(+) cells and their paracrine cross-talk with neovasculature appears to be a distinct feature of aggressive lymphoma, providing novel targets for antiangiogenic therapy, whereas alpha-SMA(+) stromal vascular network may be differentially targeted in CLL/SLL.
PURPOSE: Tumor stromal microenvironment promotes neoplastic growth and angiogenesis. We have previously shown that recruitment of marrow-derived vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1(+) (VEGFR-1(+)) proangiogenic hematopoietic progenitors contributes instructively and structurally to neoangiogenesis in mouse models. Here, we investigated whether stromal incorporation of CD68(+) hemangiogenic cells and alpha-smooth muscle actin(+) (alpha-SMA(+)) stromal cells correlates with neoangiogenesis and progression in humannon-Hodgkin's lymphoma subtypes. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Spatial localizations of vascular and stromal cells expressing CD34, VEGFR-1, alpha-SMA, and CD68 were examined by immunohistochemistry in 42 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), and compared with benign follicular hyperplasia. RESULTS: Compared with indolent lymphomas, there was a profound increase in recruitment of CD68(+) cells and VEGFR-1(+) neovessels in aggressive subtypes (including those transformed from indolent subtypes), where CD68(+) cells were localized to the perivascular region of neovessels as well as the stromal compartment. The perivascular CD68(+) cells expressed VEGFR-1 and VEGF-A. In contrast, there was a diffuse increase in alpha-SMA incorporation throughout the stromal compartment of indolent subtype of CLL/SLL compared with the scant perivascular pattern in aggressive subtypes. Overall, there was no correlation between CD34(+) microvessel density and lymphoma histologic subtype. CONCLUSIONS: Heightened stromal hemangiogenesis as marked by infiltration of proangiogenic VEGFR-1(+)CD68(+)VEGF-A(+) cells and their paracrine cross-talk with neovasculature appears to be a distinct feature of aggressive lymphoma, providing novel targets for antiangiogenic therapy, whereas alpha-SMA(+) stromal vascular network may be differentially targeted in CLL/SLL.
Authors: J Hoellenriegel; G P Coffey; U Sinha; A Pandey; M Sivina; A Ferrajoli; F Ravandi; W G Wierda; S O'Brien; M J Keating; J A Burger Journal: Leukemia Date: 2012-02-07 Impact factor: 11.528
Authors: Antonina V Kurtova; Kumudha Balakrishnan; Rong Chen; Wei Ding; Susanne Schnabl; Maite P Quiroga; Mariela Sivina; William G Wierda; Zeev Estrov; Michael J Keating; Medhat Shehata; Ulrich Jäger; Varsha Gandhi; Neil E Kay; William Plunkett; Jan A Burger Journal: Blood Date: 2009-09-17 Impact factor: 22.113