Cooperative function of CCR7 and lymphotoxin in the formation of a lymphoma-permissive niche within murine secondary lymphoid organs

Blood. 2011 Jul 28;118(4):1020-33. doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-11-321265. Epub 2011 May 17.

Abstract

Lymphoma cell survival and progression are putatively dependent on a specific microanatomic localization within secondary lymphoid organs. Despite compelling data correlating homeostatic chemokine receptor expression and human lymphoma pathogenesis, genetic models that either mimic lymphoma dissemination or dissect a crosstalk of lymphoma and stromal cells are missing. Applying the genetically tractable Eμ-Myc transgenic mouse model, we show that the chemokine receptor CCR7 regulates Eμ-Myc lymphoma homing to lymph nodes and distinctive microanatomic sites of the spleen. CCR7-controlled access of lymphoma cells to the splenic T-cell zone led to a significant survival advantage compared with CCR7-deficient lymphoma cells, which were excluded from this zone. Within the niche, lymphoma cells stimulated a reciprocal cross-talk with gp38(+) fibroblastic reticular cells. This reciprocal cooperation program was mediated by lymphoma B cell-presented lymphotoxin, which acted on lymphotoxin-β-receptor-bearing stromal cells followed by alteration of stromal cellular composition. Cross-talk inhibition by lymphotoxin-α deletion and using a lymphotoxin-β receptor-immunoglobulin fusion protein impaired lymphoma growth. Thus, abrogation of CCR7-governed migration and of sustained lymphotoxin signaling could provide new targets in lymphoma therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Separation
  • Disease Progression
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Lymphoid Tissue / immunology
  • Lymphoid Tissue / metabolism
  • Lymphoid Tissue / pathology*
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / immunology
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / pathology*
  • Lymphotoxin-alpha / immunology
  • Lymphotoxin-alpha / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Receptor Cross-Talk / physiology
  • Receptors, CCR7 / immunology
  • Receptors, CCR7 / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / immunology
  • Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Microenvironment / physiology*

Substances

  • Lymphotoxin-alpha
  • Receptors, CCR7
  • Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing