title: Monoclonality in reactive lymphadenopathy: gene rearrangement and multiparameter analysis.
abstract: Multiparameter analysis of lymph nodes with follicular, interfollicular, and/or atypical hyperplasia was undertaken to search for monoclonality. Twenty-three patients aged 7 to 75 years (mean 32 years) were studied. One patient had a history of lymphoma; two were HIV-positive. Nodes were removed for clinical suspicion of lymphoma. Light microscopy revealed increased and&or abnormal follicular proliferation and occasional progressive transformation of germinal centers. Immunostaining of frozen sections revealed CD4, CD8, kappa, and lambda positivity with more CD4+ than CD8+ cells. Flow cytometry showed a mixed population of T and B cells with no evidence of clonality. Hybridization studies with JH and JK probes showed rearranged bands in one case. No rearrangements were seen with CT beta and bcl-2 probes. Follow-up of 3 to 5 years showed no new occurrences of lymphoma. Although no evidence of monoclonality was seen with other parameters, DNA hybridization revealed heavy and light chain gene rearrangement in 4% (1 of 23).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Farhi
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Luckey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002455:Cell Division; D002648:Child; D002999:Clone Cells; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology