Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis for analysis of clonal evolution in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid.
To analyze the transition of an autoimmune disease into a mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (MALT-NHL), we investigated a total of 27 cases of clinically diagnosed autoimmune thyroiditis with lymphoid hyperplasia. Three cases of thyroid hyperplasia served as controls. Monoclonal B cells were detected by studying rearrangement patterns of the hypervariable CDR III regions within the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene locus and the T-cell receptor gamma chain gene (TCRG). We used a seminested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to demonstrate immunoglobulin rearrangements and a multiplex PCR for TCRG rearrangements. The PCR products were analyzed by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis to expand mixtures of homo- and hetero-duplices within heterogeneous populations of B cells. With this approach we found monoclonality in 14 of the 27 cases of Hashimoto's disease. In a reinvestigation we discovered additional histological and immunohistochemical features of MALT-NHL in 17 cases. The 14 cases of thyroiditis with clonally expanded B cells clearly demonstrate the transition from autoimmune disease to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Tiemann
M
M
Department of Hematopathology, University of Kiel, Germany.
Menke
M A
MA
Asbeck
R
R
Wacker
H H
HH
Parwaresch
R
R
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D002999:Clone Cells; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology; D013696:Temperature; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm