title: Immunohistochemical diagnosis of alimentary lymphomas and severe intestinal inflammation in cats.
abstract: Intestinal tissue samples were examined from 32 cats in which a histopathological diagnosis of alimentary lymphoma or multicentric lymphoma affecting the gastrointestinal tract had been made. These samples were re-evaluated histopathologically and serial sections were examined immunohistochemically with antisera specific for the lymphoid markers CD3, CD79a and BLA-36 and for class II molecules of the major histocompatability complex. The cats ranged in age from 4-16 years (median 10.5 years). The main presenting clinical signs were vomiting, diarrhoea and weight loss. The majority of alimentary lymphomas were of the B-cell type (n=15), whereas cases of T-cell lymphoma were fewer in number (n=8). Four cats had lymphoma of a mixed T-and B-cell phenotype. In five of the cats, immunohistochemistry suggested an inflammatory process, in contradiction to the original histopathological diagnosis of lymphoma. Immunolabelling would appear to be a useful adjunct to histopathology in classifying cases of feline alimentary lymphoma, and may help in distinguishing lymphoma from severe intestinal inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Companion Animals, School of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK.
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Waly
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gruffydd-Jones
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D051925:CD79 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D017252:CD3 Complex; D051925:CD79 Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; C094618:antigen BLA.36, human