Equine malignant lymphomas: morphologic and immunohistochemical classification.
Gross lesions, microscopic appearance, and immunophenotyping are reported in a retrospective study of 31 cases of equine malignant lymphoma. Immunohistochemical studies were performed on archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. Monoclonal antibodies to surface glycoprotein BLA.36 and intracytoplasmic domains of mb-1 and B29 were used to document the presence of B lymphocytes in the equine tumors. Polyclonal antibody to CD3 and monoclonal antibodies to T-lymphocyte markers CD3 and CD5 revealed the presence of variable numbers of T cells within the equine lymphomas. The neoplastic component of the equine lymphomas was determined through morphologic evaluation, immunophenotyping, and the use of proliferation markers Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Equine malignant lymphomas were composed of a heterogeneous cell population. Most tumors contained B and T lymphocytes. Twenty-four horses had diffuse lymphomas derived from B lymphocytes. Thirteen of these lymphomas contained primarily neoplastic B lymphocytes. Eleven additional cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma contained from 40% to 80% nonneoplastic T lymphocytes and were classified as T-cell-rich, large B-cell lymphomas. This is the first description of T-cell-rich, B-cell lymphoma in the horse. Six tumors with a diffuse architecture were derived from T lymphocytes. Four T-cell tumors were large-cell tumors, 1 was a small-cell tumor, and in 1 tumor the size of the cells could not be determined accurately because of autolytic change in the tissues. One diffuse large-cell lymphoma did not react with either B- or T-cell markers.
Poultry Microbiological Safety Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Athens, GA 30604-5677, USA.
L C
LC
Kelley
E A
EA
Mahaffey
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D006736:Horses; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D016130:Immunophenotyping / Q000662:veterinary; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen