Abstract
Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (T-AIL) is a peripheral T-cell lymphoma of unknown etiology. Previous clonality studies have shown a heterogeneous composition of this disease with varying restrictions of B- and T-cell populations in the tumour. For the first time in a single study and in the same pathological materials, we have analysed, lymphoid cell clonality and occurrence of human herpes viruses and Epstein Barr virus. Of 18 cases 12 (66.6%) had clonal T- and three (16.6%) had clonal B-cells. Presence of the lymphotropic viral genome of HHV6 was detected in four of 18 lymph node biopsies from T-AIL patients (22%), all were TCRgamma clonal. No HHV8 were found. Epstein Barr genome was found in 40% of cases. There was no significant association between T-cell clonality and HHV-6 or EBV infection, or between B-cell clonality and any virus infection. We conclude that T-AIL is a biologically and clinically heterogeneous entity whose true nature remains to be clarified.
Copyright 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
MeSH terms
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B-Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology*
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Clone Cells / pathology
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DNA, Neoplasm / genetics
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Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / pathology
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Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / virology
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Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain
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Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor
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Genes, Immunoglobulin
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Genes, T-Cell Receptor gamma
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Herpesviridae Infections / pathology*
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Herpesviridae Infections / virology
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Herpesvirus 4, Human / isolation & purification*
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Herpesvirus 6, Human / isolation & purification*
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Herpesvirus 8, Human / isolation & purification*
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Humans
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Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy / pathology*
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Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy / virology*
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Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics
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Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / pathology*
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Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / virology*
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / genetics
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Roseolovirus Infections
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T-Lymphocyte Subsets / pathology*
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Tumor Virus Infections / pathology*
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Tumor Virus Infections / virology
Substances
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DNA, Neoplasm
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Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta