[Hodgkin's disease: Ig gene rearrangements in single H/R-s cells].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the origin and cell lineage of Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg (H/R-S) cells from various subtypes of Hodgkin's disease (HD).

METHODS

68 single H/R-S cells were taken from frozen section of 8 cases of HD. The DNA from these single cells was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with immunoglobulin heavy chain gene FR III a/JH primers and light chain family-specific primers.

RESULTS

(1) IgH and V kappa 4 rearrangements were repeatedly found in H/R-S cells from one case of lymphocytic predominant HD (LPHD). (2) Repeated and unique IgH and V kappa 2,4 rearrangements were observed in 1 case of nodular sclerosing HD (NSHD) and unique IgH, V lambda 3/V kappa 4 rearrangements in another case of NSHD. (3) Repeated IgH/V lambda 3 and unique V lambda 2,4 rearrangements, repeated V kappa 4 and unique IgH/V kappa 3 rearrangements, plus repeated IgH and unique V kappa 3/V lambda 4 rearrangements were detected respectively in 3 cases of mixed cellularity HD (MCHD). Repeated and unique rearrangements were found respectively in 2 cases of MCHD.

CONCLUSIONS

The H/R-S cells isolated from LPHD had monoclonal Igh and V kappa 4 gene rearrangements, which supports the conclusion that LPHD is a monoclonal proliferation of B cells. The appearance of IgH and kappa, lambda gene rearrangement suggest that the H/R-S cells isolated from classical HD (MCHD and NSHD) originate from B lineage cells at various stages of differentiation.