The effect of peripheral blood lymphocyte stimulation on zeta chain expression and IL-2 production in Hodgkin's disease

It has been reported that peripheral blood T cells and NK cells express reduced levels of the T-cell receptor signal-transducing zeta chain in Hodgkin's disease (HD). The zeta chain has emerged as a key subunit of the T-cell antigen receptor, which plays a central role in the signal-transducing events leading to T and NK-cell activation. We were interested in determining whether the low zeta chain expression in HD could be corrected by anti-CD3, anti-CD3-rIL-2 ex vivo stimulation. Zeta chain expression was analysed by dual immunofluorescence on permeabilized cells before and after 72 hours of culture. The IL-2 concentration in the culture supernatants was measured by ELISA. Zeta chain was significantly reduced on unstimulated CD4+, CD8+ and CD56+ cells from patients in active disease compared with normal subjects. In patients in complete remission, the values were normal except for CD8+ cells, on which zeta expression remained significantly reduced. Stimulation with anti-CD3 did not change zeta expression. Co-stimulation with rIL-2 increased but did not normalize the proportions of CD4(+)/zeta(+), CD8(+)/zeta(+)and CD56(+)/zeta(+)cells and IL-2 production in active disease. Stimulation of cells from patients in clinical remission with anti-CD3(+)rIL-2 increased the proportion of CD8(+)zeta(+)cells and normalized IL-2 production levels. Considering the pivotal role of CD3-zeta in immune response, our data suggest that successful immunotherapy approaches in active HD should consider inclusion of other potent cytokines, as well as genetically engineered tumour vaccines. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign www.bjcancer.com