LMP1 and LMP2A are potential prognostic markers of extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTL)

Paraffin sections of surgically removed samples from 16 ENKTL patients were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and the related clinicopathological data were collected and analyzed.Elevated expression (immunohistochemistry score？≥？4) of LMP1 and LMP2A was detected in the tumor cells of ENKTL. High LMP1 expression was associated with positive B symptoms (p？=？0.012), while high LMP2A expression was related to gender (p？=？0.029). The expression of both LMP1 and LMP2A showed significant correlations with patients’ overall survival (p？=？0.049, p？=？0.036).LMP1 and LMP2A may be prognostic indicators of survival in patients with ENKTL.http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/2443352538545899 webciteExtranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTL) is recognized as a distinct clinical pathological entity of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and develops more frequently in East Asia and Central America than in the West [1,2]. ENKTL was previously described as lethal midline granuloma or midline reticulosis, which most commonly invades the nasal cavity and other mucosal sites of the upper aerodigestive tract. Although ENKTL can be diagnosed at early stage, it is characterized by a strongly aggressive lymphoma in advanced stage and resistance to different treatments [3]. Currently, ENKTL is mainly treated by concurrent chemoradiotherapy [4-6], but the overall survival is frustratingly poor [7]. Among the risk factors of ENKTL development, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent infection has been shown to play an important role, and ENKTL is closely associated with EBV infection [8-11].EBV is a member of the g-herpes- virus family which approximately infects 90% of the adult population in the world. A variety of molecules are involved in EBV latent infection, including EBV-encoded nuclear antigens (EBNAs); EBNA leader protein (EBNA-LP); latent membrane protein (LMP) 1, LMP2A, and LMP2B; and EBV encoded RNAs (EBERs) EBER1 and EBER2 [12]. Among these, LMP1 is essential for EBV-mediated growth tr