Expression of CCL17 and CCL22 by latent membrane protein 1-positive tumor cells in age-related Epstein-Barr virus-associated B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder

Age-related Epstein–Barr virus-positive (EBV+) B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder (ALPD) is a disease entity identified from a large-scale re-survey of cases diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. ALPD is a group of EBV+ polymorphic B-cell lymphoma typically seen in elderly patients. An age-associated decline in host immunity against EBV might be partly responsible for the pathogenesis of ALPD. Histologically, ALPD is often characterized by a minor proportion of EBV-encoded RNA-positive tumor cells in a background of extensive cellular infiltration, similar to that of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma. In contrast to Hodgkin and Reed–Sternberg cells, ALPD tumor cells are clearly positive for B cell markers CD20 and/or CD79a. Hodgkin and Reed–Sternberg cells produce various chemokines, including CCL17 and CCL22, that attract chemokine receptor CCR4-expressing Th2 cells and regulatory T cells. Previously, we have shown that EBV-immortalized B cells also produce CCL17 and CCL22 through latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1)-mediated activation of nuclear factor κB. Here we examined expression of CCL17 and CCL22 in ALPD. ALPD tumor cells were often heterogeneous in size in accordance with the differential expression of EBV latent genes at the single cell level. LMP1-expressing tumor cells were typically large in size and selectively positive for CCL17 and CCL22. CCR4+ cells and forkhead box protein 3+ regulatory T cells were abundantly present, and the majority of forkhead box protein 3+ cells were CCR4+. Collectively, our data show production of CCL17 and CCL22 by LMP1+ large-sized tumor cells and accumulation of CCR4-expressing cells including regulatory T cells in ALPD. (Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 296–302)