TITLE:
Latent Membrane Protein 1, CD3, and CD20 Expression Patterns in Lymphomas at a Tertiary Hospital in Southeast, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Ramson Chinemerem Achilefu, Samuel Ifedioranma Ogenyi, Joy Chioma Okoli, Daniel Chukwudi Oti, Christian Kelechi Agwaraonye, Sixtus Adimchinaobi Diala
KEYWORDS:
Epstein-Barr Virus, Latent Membrane Protein 1, Lymphoma, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Immunohistochemistry
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.13 No.5,
May
21,
2025
ABSTRACT: Background: Lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of hematologic malignancies with varying immunophenotypes, clinical presentations, and associations with viral infections such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) remains a critical tool in the subclassification of lymphomas and in understanding their pathogenesis. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a DNA virus in the herpesvirus family, has been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of various malignancies, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Objective: The aim of this present study is to immunohistochemically characterize lymphoma subtypes using CD3, CD20 and LMP1 markers, assess the distribution of B-Cell and T-Cell lymphomas, and explore the potential association of EBV, via LMP1 expression, with lymphoma cases. Materials and Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from confirmed lymphoma cases were stained with CD3, CD20 and EBV-LMP1 antibodies. The immunohistochemical profiles were evaluated, and data were analyzed in relation to age, sex, histological subtype, and anatomical distribution. Results: The participants in this study had an average age of 40.75 ± 21.70 years. The mean age at diagnosis was 43.1 ± 21.4 years for Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and 19.9 ± 9.7 years for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Among the 69 lymphoma cases, 62 (89.9%) were Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, while 7 (10.1%) were Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The highest number of lymphoma cases occurred in the 5th decade of life, with 23 cases (33.3%), while the lowest number was observed in the 1st decade, with only 5 cases (7.2%). A statistically significant association between age and lymphoma was found in this study (p = 0.013). In the years under review, the incidence of lymphoma was higher in male subjects (45 cases, 65.2%) compared to female subjects (24 cases, 34.8%), resulting in a male-to-female ratio of 1.9:1. However, no statistically significant association was found between gender and lymphoma in this study (p = 0.190). The results of this study also revealed that 23 cases (33.3%) of lymphoma observed during the review period were of T-Cell lineage, while 46 cases (60.9%) were of B-Cell lineage. A total of 25 cases (36.2%) of lymphoma occurred in both the axilla and cervical regions, while 19 cases (27.5%) were located in the inguinal region. However, no statistically significant association was found between the anatomical site and lymphoma distribution according to cell lineage (p = 0.748). Only 1.4% (1/69) of Lymphoma cases were positive for EBV-LMP1, suggesting a limited role for EBV via LMP1 in this population. Conclusion: This study confirmed the predominance of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) across all age groups, particularly among older adults. The study also supports the well-known bimodal age distribution of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (HL), with peaks in young adults and middle-aged individuals. Limited LMP1 expression suggests alternative pathogenetic pathways in EBV-associated lymphomas. These findings underscore the importance of continued investigation into the immunophenotypic and molecular features of lymphomas to enhance diagnostic precision and therapeutic decision-making.