Simultaneous Presentation of Leukemic Non-Nodal Mantle Cell Lymphoma and Gamma-Delta T-Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The peculiar features of T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGLL) are its association with autoimmune disorders (particularly with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)) and a broad spectrum of B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. However, association of T-LGLL with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is extremely rare. Here, we describe a case of an 80-year-old man admitted with suspected Felty's syndrome. The blood count showed white blood cells at 2.2×109/L, with 3% neutrophils, 88% lymphocytes, and at 0.66×109/L LGLs. The spleen had been removed 43 months prior to the admission due to suspected B-cell splenic lymphoma. Re-examination of the spleen revealed cyclin D1+ and SOX11- lymphocytes in the inner part of the unexpanded mantle zones of the white pulp follicles, thus displaying a so-called in situ histologic pattern of MCL, and in small clusters in the red pulp. The splenic cords were moderately expanded by lymphocytes expressing CD3, TIA1, and granzyme B but not CD4 and CD8. Monoclonal rearrangements of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and the T-cell receptor (TCR) gamma and delta chain genes, polyclonal rearrangements of the TCR beta chain gene, mutation of the signal transducer and activator of transctiption 3  gene (c.1940A>T; p.N647I), and t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation were identified in the spleen sample. Flow cytometry of bone marrow revealed a population of TCR γδ+, CD3+, CD4-, CD5-, CD7+, CD8-, CD16-, CD56-, and CD57- lymphocytes. Fragment analysis demonstrated identical TCR gene clonal rearrangement patterns in the spleen and bone marrow samples. In this study, we describe the first case of simultaneous presentation of γδ T-LGLL and leukemic non-nodal MCL (L-NN-MCL) in a patient with RA and present morphological findings of L-NN-MCL in the spleen.

High Incidence of Clonal CD8+ T-cell Proliferation in Non-malignant Conditions May Reduce the Significance of T-cell Clonality Assay for Differential Diagnosis in Oncohematology.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of rearranged T-cell receptor (TCR) genes is a valuable diagnostic tool for differential diagnosis of T-cell large granular lymphocytic (T-LGL) leukemia and reactive lymphocytosis. Age-related narrowing of T-cells repertoire and expansion of immune or autoimmune clones may lead to false-positive results. The objective of this study was to evaluate the specificity and positive predictive value of PCR-based clonality assessment for a differential diagnostics of T-LGL leukemia. Rearrangements of TCRG and TCRB genes using the BIOMED-2 protocol were assessed in healthy individuals including the elderly (n = 62) and patients with rheumatic diseases (n = 14), transitory reactive CD8+ lymphocytosis (n = 17), and T-LGL leukemia (n = 42). Monoclonal TCRG/TCRB rearrangements in blood were identified in 11.3%/4.8% (7/3 of 62) of healthy individuals; 21.4%/14.3% (3/2 of 14) of patients with rheumatic diseases, and 17.6%/11.8% (3/2 of 17) of patients with reactive lymphocytosis. Immunomagnetic selection of lymphocytes in healthy individuals (31 of 33) revealed that clonal T-cells belong to CD8+ and CD57+ population. No clonal Vß-Jß TCRB rearrangements were found in the control group, only Dß-Jß TCRB and TCRG. Given the high detectability (96.7%) of Vß-Jß TCRB monoclonal rearrangements in patients with αß-T-LGL leukemia, this marker had the greatest specificity and positive predictive value (100%; 99.2%). The presence of clonal CD8+CD57+ cells in blood is common for healthy individuals and patients with reactive conditions and may not associate with any malignancy. Different specificity of TCRG/ Dß-Jß TRB/ Vß-Jß TCRB PCR reactions should be taken into account for T-cell clonality data interpretation.

Composite Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and Epstein-Barr virus-negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the parotid salivary gland of a patient with Sjögren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr virus is associated with many human hematopoietic neoplasms; however, Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma is extremely rare. In routine clinical practice, detection of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a tissue sample presumes a clonal relation between these neoplasms and that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma developed by transformation of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. However, evidence to support this presumption is sparse and controversial. Assessment of the clonal relationship of the lymphoid components of a composite lymphoma is important for understanding its pathogenesis and correct diagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: We present an unusual case of composite lymphoma (Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma/Epstein-Barr virus-negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) in the parotid salivary gland of a 62-year-old Caucasian woman with Sjögren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. Simultaneous occurrence of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the parotid salivary gland led us to initially assume a clonal relationship between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Epstein-Barr virus was detected by in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction in the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, but not in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, suggesting that these lymphomas were not clonally related. Fragment analysis of frame region 3 polymerase chain reaction products from microdissected mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma components revealed different clonal pattern rearrangements of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. CONCLUSIONS: Our patient's case highlights the importance of assessing the clonal relationships of the lymphoid components of a composite lymphoma and Epstein-Barr virus screening in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma in patients with autoimmune disease.