Proliferation and survival of Hodgkin and Reed/Sternberg (HRS) cells, the malignant cells of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), are dependent on constitutive activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). NF-κB activation through various stimuli is negatively regulated by the zinc finger protein A20. To determine whether A20 contributes to the pathogenesis of cHL, we sequenced TNFAIP3, encoding A20, in HL cell lines and laser-microdissected HRS cells from cHL biopsies. We detected somatic mutations in 16 out of 36 cHLs (44%), including missense mutations in 2 out of 16 Epstein-Barr virus–positive (EBV⁺) cHLs and a missense mutation, nonsense mutations, and frameshift-causing insertions or deletions in 14 out of 20 EBV⁻ cHLs. In most mutated cases, both TNFAIP3 alleles were inactivated, including frequent chromosomal deletions of TNFAIP3. Reconstitution of wild-type TNFAIP3 in A20-deficient cHL cell lines revealed a significant decrease in transcripts of selected NF-κB target genes and caused cytotoxicity. Extending the mutation analysis to primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBL), another lymphoma with constitutive NF-κB activity, revealed destructive mutations in 5 out of 14 PMBLs (36%). This report identifies TNFAIP3 (A20), a key regulator of NF-κB activity, as a novel tumor suppressor gene in cHL and PMBL. The significantly higher frequency of TNFAIP3 mutations in EBV⁻ than EBV⁺ cHL suggests complementing functions of TNFAIP3 inactivation and EBV infection in cHL pathogenesis.

Background Cytogenetic analysis of classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma is limited by the low content of the neoplastic Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells in the affected tissues. However, available cytogenetic data point to an extreme karyotype complexity. To obtain insights into chromosomal imbalances in classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma, we applied array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array comparative genomic hybridization) using DNA from microdissected Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells. Design and Methods To avoid biases introduced by DNA amplification for array comparative genomic hybridization, cHL cases rich in Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells were selected. DNA obtained from approximately 100,000 microdissected Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells of each of ten classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases was hybridized onto commercial 105 K oligonucleotide comparative genomic hybridization microarrays. Selected imbalances were confirmed by interphase cytogenetics and quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis and further studied in an independent series of classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Results Gains identified in at least five cHL affected 2p12-16, 5q15-23, 6p22, 8q13, 8q24, 9p21-24, 9q34, 12q13-14, 17q12, 19p13, 19q13 and 20q11 whereas losses recurrent in at least five cases involved Xp21, 6q23-24 and 13q22. Copy number changes of selected genes and a small deletion (156 kb) of the CDKN2B (p15) gene were confirmed by interphase cytogenetics and polymerase chain reaction analysis, respectively. Several gained regions included genes constitutively expressed in cHL. Among these, gains of STAT6 (12q13), NOTCH1 (9q34) and JUNB (19p13) were present in additional cHL with the usual low Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cell content. Conclusions The present study demonstrates that array comparative genomic hybridization of microdissected Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells is suitable for identifying and characterizing chromosomal imbalances. Regions affected by genomic changes in Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg cells recurrently include genes constitutively expressed in cHL.

Summary: Hodgkin and Reed/Sternberg (HRS) cells in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) show constitutive activation of nuclear factor (NF)‐κB. Several genetic lesions contribute to this deregulated NF‐κB activity. Here, we analysed two further NF‐κB regulators for genetic lesions, the inhibitory factor TRAF3 and the key signalling component of the alternative NF‐κB pathway, MAP3K14 (NIK). Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array analysis of cHL cell lines revealed a uniparental disomy of the long arm of chromosome 14 associated with a biallelic deletion of TRAF3 located on this chromosome in cell line U‐HO1. Cloning of the deletion breakpoint showed a 123 371 bp deletion. No inactivating mutations of TRAF3 were found in six other cHL cell lines or in microdissected HRS cells from seven cHL. However, in primary cHL samples interphase cytogenetic analyses revealed signal patterns indicating monoallelic deletion of TRAF3 in 3/20 other cases. SNP array analysis revealed a gain of copy number for MAP3K14 in three cHL cell lines. Gains of MAP3K14 were detected in 5/16 cases of primary cHL. In conclusion, in rare instances, HRS cells harbour inactivating mutations of the TRAF3 gene and recurrently show gains of MAP3K14, indicating that more components of NF‐κB signalling show genetic lesions in HRS cells than previously known.

Mathas et al¹ reported chromosomal gains of the BCL3 locus in chromosome band 19q13 as a potential cause of BCL3 upregulation in 3 of 6 cHL cell lines and 8 of 37 PTCLs. Here, we provide evidence that not only chromosomal gains but also translocations affecting the BCL3 locus are recurrent in cHL and PTCL.