Reduced frequency of cytotoxic CD56dim CD16+ NK cells leads to impaired antibody-dependent degranulation in EBV-positive classical Hodgkin lymphoma

• DOI: 10.1007/s00262-021-02956-x
• Publication Date: 2021-05-15T17:02:36Z
• Authors: Elena Pánisová; Anna Lünemann; Simone Bürgler; Monika Kotur; Julien Lazarovici; Alina Danu; Meike Kaulfuss; Juliane Mietz; Obinna Chijioke; Christian Münz; Pierre Busson; Christoph Berger; David Ghez; Tarik Azzi
• Keywords: CD16

Abstract Around 30–50% of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) cases in immunocompetent individuals from industrialized countries are associated with the B-lymphotropic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Although natural killer (NK) cells exhibit anti-viral and anti-tumoral functions, virtually nothing is known about quantitative qualitative differences NK patients EBV+ cHL vs. EBV- cHL. Here, we prospectively investigated 36 without immune suppression or overt immunodeficiency at diagnosis. All 10 25 out 26 were seropositive for EBV antibodies, presented higher plasma DNA levels compared to patients. We show that CD56 dim CD16 + cell subset was decreased frequency This deficiency translates into an impaired mediated degranulation toward rituximab-coated HLA class 1 negative lymphoblastoid finally observed a trend decrease rituximab-associated ADCC vitro expanded healthy controls. Our findings may impact on design adjunctive treatment targeting antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity