Clinical association of baseline levels of conjugated dienes in low-density lipoprotein and nitric oxide with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and their relationship with immunoglobulins and Th1-to-Th2 ratio.

Objective: The aim of this study was to highlight the clinical association of baseline levels of conjugated dienes in low-density lipoprotein (LDL-BCD) and nitric oxide (NO) with immunoglobulins (Igs) and T helper (Th)1/Th2 ratio in patients with newly diagnosed B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Patients And Methods: Thirty-two newly diagnosed patients with aggressive B-cell NHL and 25 age-, sex-, and body-mass-index-matched healthy controls were randomly selected for a cross-sectional case-control study conducted at the Hematology Department of Tlemcen Medical Centre University (northwest of Algeria).

Results: Circulating levels of LDL-BCD and NO and those of IgA and IgM were significantly higher in patients than in controls. The levels of Th1/Th2 ratio and plasma total antioxidant capacity were significantly lower in patients compared with controls, while malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels were significantly higher in patients. B-cell NHL was significantly associated with high levels of LDL-BCD from 25th to 75th percentile (25th percentile: relative risk [RR] =2.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.42-3.59, P=0.014; 50th percentile: RR =2.84, 95% CI 1.72-4.68, P<0.001; 75th percentile: RR =5.43, 95% CI 2.58-11.42, P<0.001). Similarly, the disease was significantly associated with high levels of NO production from 25th to 75th percentile (25th percentile: RR =2.07, 95% CI 1.25-3.44, P=0.024; 50th percentile: RR =2.78, 95% CI 1.63-4.72, P<0.001; 75th percentile: RR =4.68, 95% CI 2.21-9.91, P<0.001). Moreover, LDL-BCD levels were positively and significantly correlated with interferon (IFN)-γ, whereas NO levels were inversely and significantly correlated with IFN-γ and Th1/Th2 ratio.

Conclusion: LDL-BCD and NO production seem to be associated with aggressive B-cell NHL and alteration of Th1/Th2 ratio. Our results have to be examined using ex vivo mechanistic studies leading to further investigations of these parameters, with an interest in the link between Epstein-Barr virus infection and NO and immunoglobulins.