Cutaneous type of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma: a new entity among cutaneous lymphomas

Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is a malignancy of CD4+ T cells that is endemic in certain areas in Japan. Two types of cutaneous ATL thought to originate from skin include cutaneous tumor and erythematopapule types. Patients with cutaneous ATL show neither leukemic involvement nor invasion of tumor cells into the lymph nodes for at least six months. The differential diagnosis between cutaneous ATL and mycosis fungoides is often difficult. The presence of monoclonal integration of human T lymphotropic virus-I proviral DNA in skin samples is of definitive diagnostic value in cutaneous ATL.     

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma with secondary epithelioid granulomatous cutaneous involvement: a clinicopathologic study of four cases

Epithelioid granuloma formation has rarely been observed in specific cutaneous lesions from T-cell lymphomas other than those of mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome (MF/SS). Three patients diagnosed with nodal and/or extranodal (tonsillar) non-Hodgkin's peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) and one patient with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AILD), developed specific cutaneous involvement showing prominent epithelioid cell and/or granulomatous inflammation. The original diagnostic lesions had no granulomatous features. In addition to a specific lymphomatous infiltrate, prominent dermal and/or subcutaneous granulomatous infiltrates were observed. Sarcoid-like granulomas were observed in two patients (one of them presented a granuloma annulare-like pattern in early lesions), granulomatous panniculitis was noted in one patient and in one patient with AILD, masses of epithelioid cells were noted. The clinicopathological features of cutaneous involvement by PTCL showing a florid epithelioid and/or granulomatous cell reaction are reviewed. Various histopathological patterns can be observed. The diagnostic difficulties of these cases are stressed.     

Malignant T cells in cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma lesions contain decreased levels of the antiapoptotic protein Ku70

Background Malignant T cells in primary cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma (CTCL) are genetically unstable and exhibit prolonged lifespans potentially explained by dysregulation of apoptosis, yet are responsive to apoptosis‐inducing therapies. The heterodimeric protein Ku70/80 is known to play a role in DNA repair (Ku70 and Ku80) and inhibition of apoptosis (Ku70 only). Objectives To investigate the expression of Ku70/80 in CD3+ T cells derived from skin and blood in patients with CTCL and normal samples, as well as benign dermatoses. Methods Normal (n = 10), CTCL (n = 9) and benign dermatoses (n = 13) skin samples were stained for confocal imaging of Ku70/80 and CD3 and analysed using imaging software. Circulating CD4+ T cells in normal and CTCL peripheral blood were analysed by flow cytometry and Western blot for Ku70/80 expression (n = 6). Results Ku70 and Ku80 were significantly diminished in T cells of CTCL lesions relative to T cells of control skin. Decreased T‐cell Ku70 expression was not a feature of the benign dermatoses psoriasis and contact dermatitis, suggesting that loss of Ku70/80 in CTCL is not simply the result of cutaneous inflammation. Reduced Ku70 was also noted in circulating CD4+ T cells in patients with CTCL with peripheral blood involvement. Conclusions Deficient expression or lack of Ku70/80 may result in genomic instability and play a role in tumorigenesis, as well as account for the increased susceptibility of malignant T cells to apoptosis‐inducing treatment modalities in the setting of intrinsic resistance to apoptosis.     

Nasal natural killer/T cell lymphoma with cutaneous involvement: case report and Chinese literature review reported in China mainland

Nasal natural killer (NK)/T cell lymphoma is an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated lymphoma that arises in the nasal area and aggressively invades surrounding tissues. Our patient was a 48-year-old male who had had nasal obstruction and nasal discharge for 2 years and infiltrating plaques and necrosis on his nasal dorsum for three months. He developed fever and fatigue two weeks before admission. Biopsy from both skin and nasal mucosa revealed atypical medium-sized tumor cells infiltrating into the dermis. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that the tumor cells were UCHL-1, cytoplasmic CD3, CD56, TIA-1, and granzyme B positive, and CD8 and CD20 negative. In situ hybridization for EBV-DNA was positive. Clonal TCRb and TCRg gene rearrangement were negative. The patient was treated with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (COP) and with local radiotherapy, but he died 20 days later. We reviewed the cases of nasal NK/T cell lymphoma reported in mainland China in the Chinese literature during the last 5 years.     

原发性皮肤T细胞淋巴瘤外周血克隆性T细胞的检测与研究

为了解原发性皮肤Ｔ细胞淋巴瘤（ＰＣＴＣＬ）外周血中克隆性Ｔ细胞的存在及其与临床疗铲的相关性,分别对２５例ＰＣＴＣＬ患者经重组α干扰素治疗前后的外周血标本,应用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）方法,以通用引物扩增Ｔ细胞受体（ＣＲ）γ链编码基因中Ⅴ（可变区）－Ｊ（连接区）的结合序列,检测代表克隆性Ｔ细胞分子标志的ＴＣＲ基因重排（ＧＲ）。结果发现,２５例ＰＣＴＣＬ外周血样品,１７例见克隆性Ｔ细胞（示ＴＣＲＧＲ）,     

A comparative immunohistochemical study of adult T cell leukemia and cutaneous T cell lymphoma

An immunoperoxidase study of 2 cases of adult T cell leukemia (ATL) and 2 cases of mycosis fungoides (MF) was done using monoclonal antibodies. In ATL, many anti-interleukin-2 receptor antibody (LeuIL-2R)-positive cells were seen in the dermis and occasionally in the epidermis. In contrast, in MF, LeuIL-2R-positive cells were much less frequent. LeuIL-2R-positive cells in MF may be non-malignant T cells; not all LeuIL-2R-positive cells may be malignant in ATL. These non-malignant LeuIL-2R-positive cells, we suggest, are involved in the interaction between malignant T cells and reactive infiltrating cells. Furthermore, in addition to OKT6-positive cells, OKM1-positive cells were seen in the infiltrates in the dermis in both ATL and MF. OKM1-positive cells also participate in the mechanism of the skin affinity in ATL and cutaneous T cell lymphomas.     

皮肤T细胞淋巴瘤并发原发性皮肤曲霉病1例

报道1例皮肤T细胞淋巴瘤患者并发上曲霉引起的原发性皮肤曲霉病，患者女性，41岁，左胫前2处相连的巨大黑痂，刮取物直接镜检有透明的分枝分隔菌丝，组织病理检查见较多粗细均匀的有隔菌丝，菌丝呈Y型分枝，菌种鉴定为土曲霉。     

Case of primary cutaneous peripheral T‐cell lymphoma,not otherwise specified,with characteristics of follicular helper T cells

We report a case of an 88‐year‐old woman with a decalvant, erythematous, ulcerated tumor extending from the right temporal to occipital region. Histopathological analysis revealed a dense infiltration of medium‐to‐large‐sized atypical cells throughout the entire dermis. The result of immunohistochemical analysis showed that the infiltrating T cells expressed programmed death‐1 (PD‐1), Bcl‐6 and CXCL13. Flow cytometry analysis showed that CD4⁺ PD‐1^hi T cells also expressed CD10, inducible T‐cell co‐stimulator and CXCR5. On the basis of the clinical appearance and the histopathological findings, we diagnosed the patient with primary cutaneous peripheral T‐cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified. Recently, the concept of primary cutaneous follicular helper T (TFH)‐cell lymphoma was proposed, and in this case, tumor cells clearly expressed TFH‐cell markers. Therefore, we considered this case to be a variant of the entity. Although this entity is still provisional, this case supports the new concept.     

Systemic panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma with involvement of mesenteric fat and subcutis

Subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is an uncommon non‐Hodgkins primary cutaneous lymphoma that typically presents as subcutaneous nodules on the extremities or trunk. Here, we report an unusual case of systemic panniculitic T‐cell lymphoma with predominantly mesenteric extra‐cutaneous involvement and an aggressive clinical course with histopathologic and immunophenotypic features that mimic SPTCL. This case serves to expand the body of literature regarding systemic SPTCL‐like disorders with prominent extra‐cutaneous involvement.     

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in advanced cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma

We retrospectively reviewed data pertaining to five patients with cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma (CTCL) who had received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) between 2004 and 2015 at Kurume University Hospital, along with their clinical data until March 2016. For patients with advanced CTCL eligible for HSCT, autologous HSCT was performed when they responded well to chemotherapy, and allogeneic HSCT was selected for patients with advanced mycosis fungoides (MF)/Sézary syndrome (SS) and CTCL other than MF/SS with poor chemosensitivity. Two patients (primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma and primary cutaneous CD8⁺ aggressive epidermotropic cytotoxic T‐cell lymphoma) who responded well to chemotherapy received autologous HSCT: one patient was alive in partial remission and the other died due to therapy‐related acute myeloid leukemia without disease relapse. In the remaining three patients with MF or SS, allogeneic HSCT was performed. Although one patient with MF died due to disease progression, the remaining two patients were alive in complete remission. Although there were two deaths in this study, the outcomes were considered satisfactory.     

Gamma‐delta T‐cell lymphoma arising in a long‐standing cutaneous plaque

The precise classification and characterization of primary cutaneous gamma‐delta T‐cell lymphoma (PCGD‐TCL) has been hindered by clinical and morphologic features that overlap with other lymphomas, especially subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T cell lymphoma (SPTCL). The recent World Health Organization/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (WHO/EORTC) classification distinguishes the more aggressive PCGD‐TCL from the usually indolent SPTCL, however. We report a 30‐year‐old woman with an indurated violaceous plaque on the left cheek that had been present for several years. Biopsies showed a dense lymphocytic infiltrate involving the subcutis and dermis that consisted mostly of small and medium‐sized lymphocytes, some with irregular nuclear contours and dense chromatin. These cells were positive for TIA‐1, TCR‐gamma and CD8, but negative for beta‐F1 and granzyme‐B. Staging with positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET/CT), CBC and bone marrow with flow cytometry identified lymphadenopathy as well as blood and marrow involvement by an abnormal TCRgd‐positive T‐cell proliferation (Ann Arbor Stage IV). The patient's history of a long‐standing lesion in this case is unusual, in that gamma‐delta T‐cell lymphomas are typically rapidly progressive neoplasms. As such, it raises the possibility of ‘transformation’ of a long‐standing inflammatory process into an overt lymphoma.     

A majority of proliferating T cells in cutaneous malignant T cell lymphomas may lack the high affinity IL-2 receptor (CD25)

IL-2 is a major growth factor for all T-cell subsets acting via a specific membrane receptor. To investigate its role in the pathogenesis of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs), we analysed the expression of high-affinity IL-2 receptors (IL-2Rs) on proliferating cells in these disorders. We showed by immunohistochemical double staining that most cycling cells do not express high-affinity IL-2Rs. Four T-cell lines were established from patients with CTCLs. Two lines required both IL-2 and IL-4 for growth, one line required IL-2 and one line IL-4 alone. The last of these lacked expression of the IL-2R -chain. Thus, IL-2 may not be the only, or the most important, growth stimulus in CTCLs and reactive skin infiltrates. T helper cells, which dominated the infiltrate, might represent TH2 cells.     

Regional incidences of adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma with cutaneous involvement in Japan

Between 2008 and 2015, 462 newly‐diagnosed adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) patients with cutaneous involvement were found from the nationwide registry for Japanese patients with cutaneous lymphoma, of which 391 were selected for the study. They ranged in age from 28 to 93 years (median, 69 years), and included 215 men and 176 women (male : female ratio = 1.2). The 391 patients comprised 193 (50%) with smoldering type, 52 (13%) with chronic type, 44 (11%) with lymphoma type and 102 (26%) with acute type. The total number of patients in Kyushu/Okinawa was 8.8‐times higher than that in Kanto, which was set as the reference value, while the estimated prevalence of human T‐lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV‐1) carriers in Kyushu/Okinawa has been reported to be only 2.5‐times higher than that in Kanto. In this study, the annual incidence of ATLL per 100 000 residents in Kyushu/Okinawa was 32‐times higher than that in Kanto. Our results indicated the higher incidence rate of ATLL in the endemic area than those in the non‐endemic areas in Japan, compared with the regional differences of HTLV‐1 prevalence determined by serological HTLV‐1 screening for blood donors. In addition, this analysis revealed that regional differences of mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome incidence rates were very small compared with those of ATLL.     

Human herpesvirus 8-associated lymphoma mimicking cutaneous anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection

Primary effusion lymphoma, a human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8)-associated lymphoma, is uncommon, and it is usually seen in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. It presents as a body cavity-based lymphomatous effusion, but several cases of the so-called solid primary effusion lymphoma presenting as solid tumors without associated lymphomatous effusion have been reported. They have similar clinical, histopathological and immunophenotypical features. Most of them have a B-cell genotype. This suggests the solid variant may represent a clinicopathological spectrum of primary effusion lymphoma. We report a case of HHV8-associated lymphoma histopathologically and immunophenotypically mimicking cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma. The patient was a 31-year-old HIV-seropositive man presenting with skin nodules over his right thigh. Biopsy of the nodules showed anaplastic large cells infiltrating the dermis. These malignant cells strongly expressed CD3, CD30 and CD43. Cutaneous anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma was initially diagnosed, but further tests, including immunoreactivity for HHV8 protein and clonal rearrangements of immunoglobulin genes, confirmed the diagnosis of HHV8-associated B-cell lymphoma with aberrant T-cell marker expression. This case provides an example of solid primary effusion lymphoma mimicking cutaneous anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma and highlights the importance of HHV8 immunohistochemistry and molecular tests in the diagnosis of HHV8-associated lymphoma with a cutaneous presentation.     

Erythema multiforme‐like cutaneous lesions in monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T‐cell lymphoma: a rare case report

Monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T‐cell lymphoma (MEITL), also known as Type II enteropathy‐associated T‐cell lymphoma (EATL), is an aggressive peripheral T‐cell lymphoma. EATL generally presents in adults with gastrointestinal symptoms. Skin involvement is very rare, found only in approximately five percent of patients. The authors report a 67‐year‐old Asian male who presented with chronic diarrhea and developed erythema multiforme‐like cutaneous lesions. A skin biopsy revealed extensive pagetoid spread of atypical lymphocytes in the epidermis. The results of an immunohistochemistry test led to a diagnosis of MEITL. This report points to the need for dermatologists and dermatopathologists to consider a possible diagnosis of MEITL when encountering similar cases.     

尖锐湿疣患者外周血T细胞抗原受体γδ T细胞的检测

目的：探讨外周血T细胞抗原受体（TCR）γδT细胞在尖锐湿疣发病机制中的作用。方法：采用双色荧光抗体染色技术经流式细胞仪检测20例尖锐湿疣患者外周血TCRγδT细胞与TCRαβT细胞的百分率。结果：尖锐湿疣患者外周血中TCRγδT细胞百分率比正常对照组显著增高（P＜0．01），TCRαβT细胞的百分率与正常对照组相比差异无显著性（P＞0．05）。结论：尖锐湿疣患者外周血TCRγδT细胞数量增多是机体在受到病毒感染时的一种早期非特异性免疫反应，在尖锐湿疣的发病机制中起一定的免疫防卫作用。     

Interaction of cutaneous lymphoma cells with reactive T cells and dendritic cells: implications for dendritic cell-based immunotherapy

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of skin neoplasms that originate from T lymphocytes. An anti-CTCL T-cell immunity has been described but seems to be inefficient to clear CTCL cells. It is not known whether cutaneous dendritic cells (DCs) perpetuate the proliferation of the malignant CTCL cell clone or play a role in the control of this usually slowly progressing disease. OBJECTIVES: To characterize CTCL cell properties in the control of anti-CTCL T cells and to pave the way for a DC-based immunotherapy for CTCL. METHODS: We studied the interaction of a CTCL cell line with DCs and with allogeneic T cells. RESULTS: We found an antigen non-specific capacity of viable but not apoptotic CTCL cells to hamper CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, indicating a suppressive potential of CTCL cells. Both viable and apoptotic CTCL cells were phagocytosed by immature DCs but only apoptotic CTCL cells induced an upregulation of DC maturation markers to a degree which enabled classification of these DCs as semimature. CTCL cells did not respond with proliferation when encountering allogeneic, mature DCs either loaded with CTCL cell material or unloaded, indicating a role for DCs in the induction of anti-CTCL T-cell immunity rather than in perturbation of clonal proliferation. For the loading of DCs with CTCL material lysate seems to be optimal as apoptotic cells were not phagocytosed extensively and necrotic CTCL material induced a partial cellular toxicity in DCs. DCs loaded with CTCL material were cryopreservable without significant loss of DC viability, surface marker expression or allostimulatory activity. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data argue in favour for a DC-based immunotherapy for CTCL patients and provide an experimental protocol for preparing CTCL cell-loaded DCs.     

Manual microdissection technique in a case of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma: a case report and review

Demonstration of T-cell receptor gene monoclonality often plays an important role in the diagnosis of T-cell lymphoma. When a test to detect monoclonality is performed on whole tissue sections, the presence of a reactive lymphocyte population may reduce sensitivity. This may be especially true for early or borderline cases of lymphoma. Microdissection techniques may be utilized to more readily identify a clonal population of lymphocytes. Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma represents a cutaneous lymphoid neoplasm whose clinical course may vary from an indolent, waxing and waning course to an aggressive course resulting in death. We report the first case of a microdissection technique used to facilitate diagnosing a case of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lympoma.