It has recently been shown that various HSPs are strongly expressed in B lymphomas. Indeed, HSP90 stabilizes the protein Bcl-6 in diffuse large-cell B lymphomas. Pharmacological inhibition of HSP90 in vitro induced apoptosis in lymphoma cells (Cerchietti et al. Nat. Medicine, 2009, 1369-1376). In addition, HSP110 is strongly expressed in non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and targeting this HSP at the cell surface using specific antibodies could constitute a future therapy (Zappasodi et al. Blood, 2011, 4421-4430). Despite the importance of these proteins in the development of lymphomas, their expression and their role in the activation of normal B lymphocytes and the normal development of germinal centres is not known.

The expression of Heat shock proteins should vary among the different B lymphocyte populations present in the tonsils (naïve B cells, memory B cells, germinal centre B cells).

The aim of this study is to establish an expression profile for heat shock proteins in populations of B lymphocytes in human tonsils

Inclusion Criteria:

• Persons who have provided oral consent
• Tonsillectomy in children or adults

Exclusion Criteria:

• Persons without national health insurance cover
• Adults under guardianship
• Pregnant or breast-feeding women
• Persons with positive HIV or HCV serology