SEPTIN2 and STATHMIN Regulate CD99-Mediated Cellular Differentiation in Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) is a lymphoid neoplasm characterized by Hodgkin’s and Reed-Sternberg (H/RS) cells, which is regulated by CD99. We previously reported that CD99 downregulation led to the transformation of murine B lymphoma cells (A20) into cells with an H/RS phenotype, while CD99 upregulation induced differentiation of classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma (cHL) cells (L428) into terminal B-cells. However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, using fluorescence two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), we have analyzed the alteration of protein expression following CD99 upregulation in L428 cells as well as downregulation of mouse CD99 antigen-like 2 (mCD99L2) in A20 cells. Bioinformatics analysis showed that SEPTIN2 and STATHMIN, which are cytoskeleton proteins, were significantly differentially expressed, and chosen for further validation and functional analysis. Differential expression of SEPTIN2 was found in both models and was inversely correlated with CD99 expression. STATHMIN was identified in the A20 cell line model and its expression was positively correlated with that of CD99. Importantly, silencing of SEPTIN2 with siRNA substantially altered the cellular cytoskeleton in L428 cells. The downregulation of STATHMIN by siRNA promoted the differentiation of H/RS cells toward terminal B-cells. These results suggest that SEPTIN2-mediated cytoskeletal rearrangement and STATHMIN-mediated differentiation may contribute to changes in cell morphology and differentiation of H/RS cells with CD99 upregulation in HL.