Peripheral T-cell lymphomas with a follicular growth pattern are derived from follicular helper T cells (TFH) and may show overlapping features with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphomas

Am J Surg Pathol. 2009 May;33(5):682-90. doi: 10.1097/PAS.0b013e3181971591.

Abstract

Rare cases of peripheral T-cell lymphomas with follicular growth pattern (PTCL-F) have been recently reported, and their association with t(5;9)(q33;q22) involving ITK and SYK has been suggested. However, the clinicopathologic aspects of PTCL-F are poorly described and the normal cell counterpart of this subgroup of lymphoma is still unknown. Therefore, we analyzed the pathologic, phenotypic, and cytogenetic features of a series of 30 patients (range: 33 to 88 y) that showed histopathologic features of PTCL-F in at least 1 biopsy (n=30), either at initial presentation (n=26) or at relapse (n=4). Neoplastic cells were medium-sized clear cells that were CD4+ (24/27, 89%), CD10+ (21/29, 72%), BCL-6+ (14/19, 74%), and expressed programed death-1 (27/27, 100%), CXCL13 (23/27, 85%), and ICOS (11/11, 100%), markers of follicular helper T cells (TFH). Four of 22 patients (18%) had t(5;9)(q33;q22) detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Patients with clinical data available had multiple lymphadenopathies (25/28, 89%), stage III to IV diseases (17/26, 65%), B symptoms (7/27, 26%), and skin lesions (6/23, 26%). Three patients with sequential biopsies disclosed clinical and histopathologic features of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma at initial presentation. Our results show that this rare form of PTCL-F (1) has an immunophenotype indicative of derivation from TFH cells, (2) is associated with t(5;9) in a proportion of cases, and (3) shows some overlapping features with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, raising the question of a possible relationship.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antigens, CD / analysis
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / analysis
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / analysis
  • Biopsy
  • CD4 Antigens / analysis
  • Chemokine CXCL13 / analysis
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / analysis
  • Europe
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy / genetics
  • Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy / immunology
  • Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy / pathology*
  • Immunophenotyping
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / genetics
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / immunology
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / pathology*
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / genetics
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / immunology
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Neprilysin / analysis
  • Phenotype
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / pathology*
  • Translocation, Genetic

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • BCL6 protein, human
  • CD4 Antigens
  • CXCL13 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL13
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • ICOS protein, human
  • Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein
  • PDCD1 protein, human
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6
  • Neprilysin