The biological basis of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Abstract

In the past several years our understandings for Hodgkin's lymphoma have significantly progressed, and we can now recognize two fundamental bases of Hodgkin's lymphoma: germinal center B cells as a cellular origin of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (H-RS) cells and constitutively strong NF-kappaB activation as a biological base for H-RS cells. We can also define Hodgkin's lymphoma as being composed of H-RS cells with self-growth-promoting potential as malignant cells by constitutively strong NF-kappaB activation and surrounding reactive cells. Identification of molecules involved in constitutive and strong NF-kappaB activation in H-RS cells is important to understand the pathophysiology as well as transformation and developmental process of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein (LMP)-1, defective IkappaBalpha, IkappaB kinase activation and ligand-independent signaling by overexpressed CD30 have been clarified in the past several years. Involvement of JunB in overexpression of CD30 has been recently reported. Today, over a century and a half after the first report by Thomas Hodgkin, we at last obtained several keys to solving the mystery of Hodgkin's lymphoma on a biological basis.