Oxidative stress and redox state-regulating enzymes have prognostic relevance in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Strong 8-OHdG immunostaining intensity was associated with extranodal involvement (p = 0.00002), a high International Prognostic Index (p = 0.002) and strong Trx (p = 0.011) and GCL (p = 0.0003) expression. Strong Trx staining intensity was associated with poor progression-free survival (p = 0.046) and poor disease-specific survival (p = 0.015). Strong GCL immunostaining intensity predicted poor progression-free survival (p = 0.049). Patients with either strong Trx or strong nitrotyrosine expression showed significantly poorer progression-free survival (p = 0.003) and disease-specific survival (p = 0.031) compared with the other patients.The redox state-regulating enzymes GCL and Trx are promising markers in the evaluation of DLBCL prognosis in the era of modern immunochemotherapy.Of lymphomas, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) accounts for 30% to 40%. DLBCL comprises three different subtypes as determined by gene expression profiling: the germinal center (GC) type, the activated B-cell type and a third heterogeneous type that cannot be included in either of the two other categories [1]. In routine practice the subtypes are classified by means of by immunohistochemical grouping (Hans' algorithm) into GC and non-GC subtypes [2]. Standard treatment for DLBCL consists of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) or CHOP-type regimens and rituximab. Rituximab has revolutionized the treatment of DLBCL by increasing survival in all International Prognostic Index (IPI) classes [3]. New molecular markers predicting the outcome of DLBCL are still important in order to optimize treatment.Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is common to all aerobic cells, but excessive oxidative stress may lead to variable pathological conditions. The most important factor in the redox environment is the creation and elimination of ROS. These are important cellular mediators and their formation is strictly controlled under physiological circumstances. They ar