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Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma is derived from mature T‐helper cells with varying expression and loss of detectable CD4
Author(s) -
Lee SeungSook,
Rüdiger Thomas,
Odenwald Tobias,
Roth Sabine,
Starostik Petr,
MüllerHermelink Hans Konrad
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.10758
Subject(s) - cd5 , immunophenotyping , cd8 , lymphoma , gene rearrangement , cd3 , biology , pathology , population , t cell , lineage markers , microbiology and biotechnology , flow cytometry , cancer research , phenotype , immunology , gene , antigen , medicine , immune system , genetics , environmental health
Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AILT) is a rare lymphoma that is regarded as a clinicopathologic entity but shows considerable histomorphologic diversity, variable immunophenotypes and inconsistent T cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement. One hundred four paraffin blocks of AILT were investigated defining tumor cell lineage by triple immunostains with a confocal laser scanning microscope and correlating morphology, immunophenotype and TCRγ gene rearrangement to clinical outcome. Ninety‐nine cases were CD4 + , some of them showing a mixture of CD4 + and CD4 − tumor cells. The remaining 5 specimens were CD3 + /CD4 − /CD8 − . A considerable number of T cells of different subtypes could always be found, but even in 13 cases predominated by CD8 + cells, proliferation could be attributed to atypical CD4 + cells. TCRγ gene rearrangement was monoclonal in 48 cases (69%) among 70 tested. In 29 of these semi‐quantitative gene scan analysis resulted in a median proportion of monoclonal peak of 35% of PCR‐products. Clinical outcome was identical grouping patients by clonality of TCRγ, absence or presence of clear cell clusters and international prognostic index. We conclude that AILT is mainly derived from CD2 + CD3 + CD4 + CD5 + CD7 − mature T‐helper cells with varying expression and partial loss of detectable CD4. A significant number of non‐neoplastic T cells (resting CD4 + T cells and activated small or medium‐sized CD8 + lymphocytes) may coexist with a minor neoplastic T cell population. Clinicopathologic correlation suggests AILT to be a well defined homogeneous entity with poor prognosis. Currently no prognostic factors can be derived. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.