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T cell lymphoblastic leukaemia/lymphoma associated with a microenvironment of thymic asteroid B cells in the bone marrow
Author(s) -
Naresh Kikkeri N,
May Philippa C,
Reid Alistair G,
Marks Alexandra J,
Macdonald Donald,
Kanfer Ed
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2559.2010.03663.x
Subject(s) - bone marrow , pathology , biology , lymphoma , cd20 , b cell , lymph node , gene rearrangement , immunology , antibody , medicine , gene , biochemistry
Naresh K N, May P C, Reid A G, Marks A J, Macdonald D & Kanfer E
(2010) Histopathology 57, 549–554
T cell lymphoblastic leukaemia/lymphoma associated with a microenvironment of thymic asteroid B cells in the bone marrow Aims: Asteroid B cells are a component of normal thymus. It is currently unclear whether these cells are identifiable in T cell lymphoblastic leukaemia/lymphoma (T‐ALL/LBL) of the thymus. The aim of this study was to identify asteroid B cells both in thymic and extrathymic tissue involved by T‐ALL/LBL. Methods and results: Thymic, lymph node (LN) and bone marrow trephine biopsy (BMTB) samples from eight patients with T‐ALL/LBL were reviewed. All had been investigated by immunohistochemistry and one by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The BMTB samples of two of eight T‐ALL/LBLs and LN sample in one of them showed the presence of asteroid‐shaped B cells with dendritic cytoplasmic processes. These B cells also expressed CD23 and the features were akin to the unique thymic asteroid B cells. Both patients had aggressive/resistant disease. Cytogenetic analysis in one showed a complex translocation involving the T cell receptor beta (TCRB) gene at 7q35 and a distal region of 9q known to harbour the NOTCH1 gene. Conclusion: This is the first report of T‐ALL/LBL documenting the presence of an asteroid B cell‐rich microenvironment at bone marrow and LN sites. In this small subset, T‐ALL/LBL cells are possibly dependent upon asteroid B cells, and whether targeting of asteroid B cells with anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibody in such cases will result in clinical benefit remains to be determined.