Expression of lymphocyte-associated antigens on neoplastic angioendotheliomatosis

Appl Pathol. 1987;5(4):246-52.

Abstract

Neoplastic angioendotheliomatosis (NAE) is a rare and fatal disorder and has been regarded as a multifocal in situ neoplastic change of endothelial cells. This report describes a case of NAE from whom a biopsy specimen was obtained and studied immunohistologically using several monoclonal antibodies against lymphocyte-associated antigens. The tumor cells occluding luminal space express both T and B cell markers such as Leu-1, Leu-3, Leu-10, Leu-M3, HLA-DR, and HLA-DQ, whereas they do not express Leu-2, Leu-4, lymphocyte-common antigen, and immunoglobulins. Factor VIII as a marker of vascular endothelial cell is false positive in the present case. Since immunoglobulins as a definitive B lymphocyte marker are negative in this case, there is no direct evidence indicating that NAE is a tumor of B lymphocytic lineage as previously reported. These results suggest the two possibilities that NAE is a unique variant of T cell lymphoma or true vascular endothelial tumor sharing the common histogenesis with malignant lymphoma. As it stands the former possibility is more likely than the latter in our case.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / analysis*
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / analysis*
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • HLA-DQ Antigens / analysis
  • HLA-DR Antigens / analysis
  • Hemangioendothelioma / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Skin Neoplasms / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • HLA-DQ Antigens
  • HLA-DR Antigens