Shizuo Yoshimoto

Chromosome 14q+ in adult T-cell leukemia☆

Cytogenetic studies were performed on leukemic cells from two patients with adult T-cell leukemia. A 14q+ marker chromosome was found in the peripheral blood leukocytes from patient No. 1 and in a leukemic T-cell line (MT-1) derived from the peripheral blood of patient No. 2. The 14q+ resulted from a t(12;14) in patient No. 1 and from a t(Y;14) in patient No. 2 with a break point at 14q32 in each case. In addition, the leukemic cells from patient No. 1 showed a t(1;7) and a 9q-, while the MT-1 line had numerous structural abnormalities. Thus, it is clear that a 14q+ translocation is not restricted to B-cell neoplasms but occurs in T-cell neoplasms as well.

Characteristics of a brain lymphoma cell line derived from primary intracranial lymphoma

A brain lymphoma cell line, designated TK, was established from biopsy material of a patient with primary intracranial lymphoma. The TK cell line grew in suspension with clumps of cells and consisted of primitive lymphoid cells. TK cells and original lymphoma cells from which the cell line was derived bore surface immunoglobulin and lacked Epstein‐Barr virus‐determined nuclear antigen. Transplantation of the TK cells into immunosuppressed newborn hamsters gave rise to invasive growth of tumors with metastasis to the brain and eyes. These findings provide definitive evidence for a B‐cell origin of the brain lymphoma in this case.

Adult T-cell leukemia in two siblings acute crisis of smoldering disease in one patient

Two cases of human T‐cell leukemia virus (HTLV)‐positive adult T‐cell leukemia (ATL) in brother and sister are presented. Six of 15 members of this family were seropositive for antibodies for ATL‐associated antigens (ATLA). The sister of the ATL patient developed overt ATL after 5 years and 8 months of smoldering ATL. Immunologic examinations during the smoldering phase were normal except for negative skin tests for purified protein derivative. Factors leading to the induction of ATL among HTLV carriers remain to be studied.

Parvovirus B19‐associated transient pure red cell aplasia with lymphadenopathy: A case report

There have been few reports on lymph node swelling in human parvovirus (HPV) B19 infection. A report of a 42‐year‐old female, who developed HPV B19‐associated transient red cell aplasia with lymphadenopathy, is presented. The lymph node swelling began with the appearance of atypical lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and it disappeared as the patient recovered from the aplasia. Microscopically, the patients bone marrow showed characteristic giant proerythroblasts with no maturation of the erythroid series. An excised inguinal lymph node showed florid, reactive follic‐ular hyperplasia with paracortex expansion, and neutrophil infiltration and hemophagocytosis In the medullary sinus. These findings were compatible with the histology of a viral infection. A polymerase chain reaction study revealed HPV B19 in her serum and lymph node, but an immunohistochemical study failed to demonstrate HPV B19 capsid antigen in the lymph node or bone marrow. Although the present case suggests that reactive lymphadenopathy is associated with HPV B19 infection, the mechanism of the lymph node swelling still remains to be elucidated.