PD-1/PDCD1/CD279 [NAT105]

Programmed death-1 (PD1) is a member of the CD28 family of receptors that includes CD28, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), inducible costimulator (ICOS), and B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator. These receptors play a role in the cellular immune response. PD1 is a new marker of angioimmunoblastic lymphoma, and suggests a unique cell of origin for this neoplasm. Unlike CD10 and bcl-6, PD1
is expressed by few B cells, so it may be a more specific and useful diagnostic marker in angioimmunoblastic lymphoma. It also seems to stain a greater percentage of CD3-positive neoplastic cells in angioimmunoblastic lymphoma than either CD10 or bcl-6. In addition, PD1 expression provides new evidence that angioimmunoblastic lymphoma is a neoplasm derived from germinal center-associated T cells. PD1 expression in angioimmunoblastic lymphoma lends further support to this model of T-cell oncogenesis, in which specific subtypes of T cells may undergo neoplastic transformation and result in specific distinct histologic, immunophenotypic, and clinical subtypes of T-cell neoplasia.