An increase of M2 macrophages predicts poor prognosis in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone.
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and regulatory T-cells (Tregs) play an important role in the tumor microenvironment. Here, we investigated the prognostic implications of TAMs and Tregs in 165 diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) using immunohistochemistry. Survival analysis was performed among 109 DLBCLs treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP). An increase in CD68 (+) cells was related to improved overall survival (OS) (p = 0.033). By contrast, an increased number of CD163 (+) cells and a higher ratio of CD163/CD68 (+) cells were significantly associated with shorter OS (p = 0.041 and 0.003) and progression-free survival (PFS) (p < 0.001 and 0.002). Patients with increased Tregs tended to have a better prognosis. In multivariate analysis, an increased ratio of CD163/CD68 (+) cells was an independent predictor of shorter OS and PFS. These results suggest that M2 macrophages might have a lymphoma-promoting function in DLBCL and predict poor clinical outcome. Therapeutic approaches targeting M2 macrophages would be valuable for the management of DLBCL in the R era.
['Nam|Soo Jeong|SJ|', 'Go|Heounjeong|H|', 'Paik|Jin Ho|JH|', 'Kim|Tae Min|TM|', 'Heo|Dae Seog|DS|', 'Kim|Chul Woo|CW|', 'Jeon|Yoon Kyung|YK|']
D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived D015703:Antigens, CD D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols D003520:Cyclophosphamide D018572:Disease-Free Survival D004317:Doxorubicin D005260:Female D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors D006801:Humans D007150:Immunohistochemistry D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse D008264:Macrophages D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D015999:Multivariate Analysis D011241:Prednisone D011379:Prognosis D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface D000069283:Rituximab D051117:Scavenger Receptors, Class A D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory D016896:Treatment Outcome D014750:Vincristine
M2 macrophages diffuse large B-cell lymphoma tumor-associated macrophages regulatory T-cells Tumor microenvironment