Significance of non-lymphoid ('accessory') cells in malignant lymphomas and pseudolymphomas of the skin.
We investigated the co-distribution of lymphocyte subpopulations and non-lymphoid 'accessory' cells in 35 cases of cutaneous lymphoproliferative diseases (T-cell lymphoma, 10 cases; B-cell lymphoma, 17 cases; pseudolymphoma, 8 cases) using immunohistochemical methods. T-zone histiocytes and particularly Langerhans cells were abundant in all cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, but were also found in B-cell lymphomas. T-zone histiocytes were associated with T-lymphocytes, especially T-helper cells, but not with T-suppressor cells. Dendritic reticulum cells were essentially confined to well differentiated germinal centres. Macrophages occurred in both lymphomas and pseudolymphomas without definite relationship with either B- or T-cells. In malignant lymphomas of high grade malignancy, macrophages represented the only non-lymphoid cell type. Our results indicate that malignant lymphoid cells, like normal lymphocytes, require definite micro-environments which are, at least in part, maintained by certain non-lymphoid cells.
D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D006644:Histiocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology