Correlation between apoptosis macroarray gene expression profiling and histopathological lymph node lesions

J P Dales¹, J Plumas², F Palmerini¹, E Devilard¹, T Defrance³, A Lajmanovich², V Pradel⁴, F Birg¹ and L Xerri¹

¹ INSERM U 119, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, IFR 57 and Université de la Méditerranée, 13000 Marseille, France
² Immunology Department, ETS Isère-Savoie, and Research Group on Lymphomas, Unité UPRES 2021, 38000 Grenoble, France
³ INSERM U 119, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, IFR 57 and Université de la Méditerranée, 13000 Marseille, France
⁴ Biostatistics Department, Hôpital Sainte-Marguerite, 13000 Marseille, France

Correspondence to:
Dr Xerri, Department of Pathology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, 232 Boulevard de Sainte Marguerite, BP 156, 13273 Marseille Cedex 9, France xerril{at}marseille.fnclcc.fr

Aims—Microarray technology has recently led to the identification of molecular prognostic subgroups in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. To determine the usefulness of ready made macroarrays as routine diagnostic tools in haematopathology, lymph node biopsies were analysed using a cDNA macroarray containing genes involved in apoptosis, including caspases.

Methods—Nine biopsy specimens were analysed using total frozen tissues: four samples of B cell follicular lymphoma, two of B cell diffuse large cell lymphoma, and three of non-neoplastic lymph nodes from benign lymphadenitis. Nine cell populations were sorted from fresh tissues: malignant B cells from two patients with follicular lymphoma and two with diffuse large cell lymphoma, reactive B cells from two benign lymph nodes, reactive T cells from one benign lymph node, and virgin (mantle zone) B cells and germinal centre B cells from benign tonsils. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) on paraffin wax sections was performed for the localisation of caspases 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9.

Results—In the clustered array data, sorted cells from samples sharing common histological lesions were grouped together, whereas the array/histology correlation was less satisfactory for tissues. The expression profiles of both the array and IHC methods correlated for most caspases and samples.

Conclusions—Variations in array profiles of sorted cell populations can be associated with specific histological features, suggesting a possible diagnostic application of ready made apoptosis macroarrays in haematopathology.

Key Words: macroarrays • apoptosis • gene profiling • non-Hodgkin's lymphomas • caspases • immunohistochemistry

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