Is CD117 Expression Related with Plasma Cell Differentiation, IRF4/MUM1 and CD38 Expressions in Lymphoid Neoplasms?

Aim: In this study, we aimed to assess the expression of CD117 in a large series of both Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and to investigate the association between the expression patterns of CD117,IRF4/MUM1, and CD38.Materials and Methods: A total of 237 lymphoma cases were selected and examined within six tissue microarray paraffin blocks. Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against CD117,IRF4/MUM1 and CD38.Results: CD117 and IRF4/MUM1 immunoreactivity were seen in a subset of high-grade and low-grade B-cell lymphomas, as well as T-cell lymphomas and classical type Hodgkin’s lymphomas. CD38 positivity was only detected in 1% of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and 66% of precursor B-lymphoblastic lymphoma, in addition to myeloma cases. CD117 expression was not correlated with IRF4/MUM1 expression (P 0.05). Two ofthree CD38- positive cases were positive for CD117.Conclusions: These results suggest that CD117 expression can be seen in a subset of T- or B- cell lymphoid neoplasms and plasma cell myelomas. It seems that there is no relation between the expression of CD117 and plasma cell differentiation markers in lymphomas.