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Chromosomal abnormalities in Hodgkin's disease are not restricted to Hodgkin/Reed–Sternberg cells
Author(s) -
Jansen Maurice P. H. M.,
Hopman Anton H. N.,
Haesevoets Annick M.,
Gennotte Inge A. F.,
Bot Fredrik J.,
Arends Jan Willem,
Ramaekers Frans C. S.,
Schouten Harry C.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9896(199806)185:2<145::aid-path82>3.0.co;2-f
Subject(s) - reed–sternberg cell , pathology , population , chromosome , biology , biopsy , lymph node , abnormality , microbiology and biotechnology , lymphoma , genetics , medicine , gene , environmental health , hodgkin lymphoma , psychiatry
Hodgkin and Reed–Sternberg cells are considered to represent the malignant fraction in Hodgkin's disease. Several studies have shown that the Hodgkin and Reed‐Sternberg cells are chromosomally abnormal, but genetic data about the morphologically normal cell population in Hodgkin's disease are very limited. This latter cell population has therefore been examined for chromosomal aberrations, using the in situ hybridization (ISH) procedure, making use of DNA probes for chromosomes 1, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, and 18. Nuclei were isolated from freshly frozen (10 cases) and paraffin‐embedded (16 cases) biopsy samples and 1000 nuclei per case were evaluated. The cases of Hodgkin's disease were compared with reactive lymph nodes, which show aberrant chromosome copy numbers in less than 1 per cent of the cells. Using strict scoring criteria, nuclei in the tumour were found to show an abnormal genotype, in the range of 1–12 per cent, with trisomies occurring most frequently. No characteristic numerical chromosome abnormality was observed. ISH on 4 μm thick paraffin sections of six cases of Hodgkin's disease revealed numerical aberrations for chromosome 1 in cells which appeared to be morphologically normal. The genomically abnormal nuclei did not differ in morphology or size from the nuclei of morphologically normal cells, but differed considerably in size when compared with the nuclei of Hodgkin/Reed–Sternberg cells after the ISH procedure. Three of these six cases revealed a population of apparently normal cells with an aberrant copy number which differed notably from the fraction observed in reactive lymph nodes. It is concluded, therefore, that a subset of morphologically normal cells, next to the Hodgkin/Reed–Sternberg cells, are chromosomally aberrant and may participate in the malignant cell fraction of Hodgkin's disease. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.