Conjunctival T-cell lymphoma caused by human T-cell lymphotrophic virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the cause of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.


METHODS
We examined a conjunctival biopsy from a 29-year-old Jamaican man who developed bilateral conjunctival masses. Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma was diagnosed using routine histology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, microdissection, and the polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Histopathologic examination revealed a conjunctival lymphoma. Clonality of the T-cell receptor gamma gene and human T-cell lymphotrophic virus gag gene were detected in the malignant cells. The demonstration of the human T-cell lymphotrophic virus gene and the rearrangement of the T-cell receptor gene in this neoplasm provide proof that human T-cell lymphotrophic virus is the cause of this conjunctival T-cell lymphoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus is the cause of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, an aggressive malignancy of CD4+ lymphocytes.
Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bldg. 10, Room 10 N112, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. BuggageR@intra.nei.nih.gov
R R
RR
Buggage
J A
JA
Smith
D
D
Shen
C C
CC
Chan
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D015750:Genes, gag / Q000235:genetics; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta