Expression of Beta-Integrin Adhesion Molecules in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: Correlation With Clinical and Evolutive Features

Purpose: To analyze beta-integrin expression in non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHLs) in order to assess its distribution among histologic subtypes and correlate with clinical features and outcome. Patients and Methods: The expression of a2 through a6 and b1 common chains of very late activation anti-gen (VLA) molecules and aL (CD11a) and b2 common (CD18) chains of leukocyte function-associated antigen 1 molecule were studied in 137 patients with NHL. Immunostaining was performed by a streptavidin-biotin alkaline phosphatase method, and integrin ex-pression was semiquantitatively assessed. Correlation with clinical features was analyzed in 80 patients con-secutively diagnosed as having immunocytoma (five cases), follicular lymphoma (19 cases), mantle-cell lym