[Presence of B-cell clones in angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the significance of B-cell clones in angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) and the correlation with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and prognosis.


METHODS
The histopathologic features, T cell clonality and EBV positivity in 33 cases of AITL and 10 cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) collected from May 2010 to February 2014 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, PCR gene rearrangement and in situ hybridization. Follow-up data were also collected.


RESULTS
Of the 33 cases with AITL, seven cases (21.2%) exhibited clonal rearrangement of Ig genes; 21 cases (63.6%) were EBV positive. Seven cases had B-cell clones and all (7/7) were EBV positive; 14 of the 26 (53.8%) cases without B-cell clones were EBV positive. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.032). Four levels were made according to the number of EBV-labeled cells, Ig gene rearrangements, but there was no significant difference among levels 1, 2 and 3. There was no correlation between B-cell clones and prognosis (P = 0.263).


CONCLUSIONS
Clonal rearrangement of Ig genes is a common finding in AITL, and it is highly associated with EBV positivity, but not with the number of EBV-labeled cells. The clinical significance remains unclear; further study with more samples is warranted.
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
Guannan
G
Wang
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
Xianzheng
X
Gao
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
Wugan
W
Zhao
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
Dandan
D
Zhang
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
Ye
Y
Li
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China. E-mail:liwencaipatho@126.com.
Wencai
W
Li
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016400:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Immunoblastic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D016411:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes