Hepatosplenic gamma delta T-cell lymphoma associated with hepatitis B virus infection.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been implicated in the development of hepatocellular and hematopoietic malignancies. We describe a patient with chronic hepatitis B who developed hepatosplenic gamma delta T-cell lymphoma. A 45-year-old woman presented with marked hepatosplenomegaly and hepatic failure during the course of chronic hepatitis B. Peripheral blood examination revealed 57% abnormal lymphoid cells which expressed the gamma delta T-cell receptor. The cytogenetic analysis of tumor cells showed an abnormal karyotype; 47, XX, -13, +2mar in all 20 metaphases examined. A clonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor genes was demonstrated by Southern blot analysis, showing monoclonal expansion of tumor cells. A liver biopsy specimen showed fibrosis of the portal areas and sinusoidal infiltration of tumor cells. HBV infection was documented by the presence of IgG anti-HBc and anti-HBs antibodies in serum. Although HBV-DNA was not detected in tumor cells by polymerase chain reaction analysis, there is a possibility that proliferation of gamma delta T cells in response to HBV infection played a role in the pathogenesis of hepatosplenic gamma delta T-cell lymphoma.
Ozaki
S
S
First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Japan.
Ogasahara
K
K
Kosaka
M
M
Inoshita
T
T
Wakatsuki
S
S
Uehara
H
H
Matsumoto
T
T
D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000276:immunology; D013160:Splenic Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta