Plasma Cell Subtype Research Articles

A Continous Recurrent Course in a Case of Nodular-Sclerosis (NS) Classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (cHL) Associated with Castleman’s Disease (CD).

Abstract Background: CD is a rare entity characterized by unicentric or multicentric clinical presentation. Three histologic variants (hyline vascular, plasmacell and mixed) have been described. Coexistence of CD and non-Hodgkin (NHL) and Hodgkin’s (HL) lymphomas is well documented in literature; however the last type of association is a rare event. When it occurs, the most frequent association is between interfollicular subtype of HL and plasmacell variant of CD, while there is no agreement regarding a more common combination of HL and either the multicentric or the localized form of CD. Methods and Results: On July 2000, a 33-years-old woman HIV-negative was found to be affected by NS grade I of BNLI cHL diagnosed on a supraclavear nodal biopsy. The final stage was IIIA. After 6 cycles of ABVD and mediastinal radiotherapy, the patient obtained a CR (January 2001). One year later (May 2002) she complained asthenia, but not other clinical signs or symptoms. Laboratory tests revelead increased ERS (49 mm/h) and only mild anemia (11,7 mg/dl). Computerized tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US) and positron emission tomography (PET) showed multiple subdiaphgramatic enlarged lymphnodes in celiac tripod region, haepatoduodenal ligament and interaortocaval zone (2–3 cm of diameter). However, the biopsied nodes obtained by laparoscopy reveled a mixed reactive lymphoadenopathy, but not recurrent HL. During the following 13 months of observation, a further reduction in the hemoglobine value (10.9 mg/dl), increased ERS (87 mm/h) and a very slowly progressive increase in the dimension (4–5 cm diameter) of the abdominal enlarged nodes were documented in the absence of others clinical signs or symptoms. A second nodal biopsy (paracaval lymphnode) was performed in October 2003. Histology showed some lymphoid follicles with small germinal centers(GC), which presented prominent hyalinized vessels and politypical plasmacell component in interfollicular areas indicative of CD (mixed hyaline-vascular and plasmacell subtype). Rare Reed-Stenberg and lacunar cells were found in this background. After the second course of chemoterapy (6 cycles of ABVD) a rapid normalization of ERS and anemia were documented. The CT findings showed a reduction of size and numbers, but no disappereance of abdominal lymph nodes (4 residual nodes of 1–2 cm of diameter). A further nodal biopsy was performed, which confirmed the persistence of HL in the background of CD. Only after RT, the patient obtained a second CR as documented by two subsequent negative CT and PET scans. On July 2005, even if laboratory tests were normal, a single ipogastric superficial lymphadenopathy was detected on phisical examination and confirmed by US: so, a new diagnostic work-up, consisting of PET-SCAN and escixional biopsy is ongoing. Conclusion: After cHL sclero-nodular type, the diagnosis of recurrent HL probably arising on a preexisting multifocal CD, both caracterized by a particularly indolent course, was documented. The two pathogenetic mechanisms hypothized for CD and HL association are: secretion of IL-6 by Hodgkin’s RS cells and/or histiocytes or manifestation of an abnormal immune state associated with Hodgkin’s disease.

Experimental mucosal disease in cattle: Changes in the number of lymphocytes and plasma cells in the mucosa of the small and large intestine

Changes in the number of lymphocyte and plasma cell subtypes were investigated in the lamina propria and in the epithelium of the small and large intestine of cattle with mucosal disease. Mucosal disease had been induced experimentally in seven out of 13 animals persistently viremic with non cytopathogenic BVD-virus by inoculation with a matching cytopathogenic BVD-virus. For comparison, six clinically healthy, persistently viremic cattle were used. IgA+, IgM+ and IgG1+ plasma cells, BoCD4+, BoCD8+ and γδ+ T-lymphocytes, and the antigen of the cytopathogenic BVD-virus were demonstrated in tissue sections by immunohistochemistry. Distribution of cellular subtypes in the controls was consistent with data reported from non infected cattle. In cattle with mucosal disease, a decrease in the number of plasma cells which was significant for IgA+ and IgM+, but not for IgG1+ plasma cells was found in the lamina propria. The number of BoCD4+ T-lymphocytes was reduced in the small intestine, whereas their number per mm 2 of mucosa was increased in the large intestine. Numbers of intraepithelial BoCD8+ and γδ+ T-lymphocytes were severely decreased. Antigen of the cytopathogenic BVD-virus was detected predominantly in epithelial cells of the crypts. Overall there is a severe loss of effector cells which are essential components of the humoral and cell mediated immune protection of the mucosal barrier. The decrease of immunoregulatory cells in the lamina propria and epithelium may contribute to the transformation of mucosal architecture in mucosal disease.

Fine-needle aspiration of plasma cell disorders: special emphasis on plasma cell subtype.

Fine-needle aspiration cytology and clinical presentations of 16 cases of plasma cell dyscrasias (PCD) have been studied in a period of 6 yr. There were seven cases of solitary plasmacytomas of bones, two cases of extramedullary plasmacytomas, and seven cases of multiple myelomas. Differential counts of mature and immature plasma cells along with presence of cell clumps, mitosis, and bi/multinucleations were studied. The cytological findings revealed no correlation with the different subtypes of PCDs; however, it was helpful in the differential diagnosis. Bone marrowing findings, immunological parameters, available histopathology, and X-ray appearances were analysed. Clinical diagnosis of PCDs were made in only three cases. Thus fine-needle aspiration biopsy was considered as an important diagnostic modality in tissue diagnosis of plasma cell tumors, particularly in solitary plasmacytoma of bone and extramedullary plasmacytoma.

The Mott cells in the lymph

The plasma cell variants containing Russell bodies are grouped under the common term Mott cells. Such a plasma cell subtype, characterized by abundant clear vesicles or "spherules", was described by Mott as early as in 1905. Mott cells occur in normal lymph nodes and bone marrow of humans and animals [1, 2]. The cells appear in large numbers in the lymph nodes of autoimmunized mice, in chronic inflammation infiltrates, as well as in the course of such diseases as lymphatic leukosis, erythromatosis, and myeloma [2,3,5,8]. Until now nobody has described the presence of Mott cells in the lymph. The aim of this study was the investigation of the phenotypic features of lymph-obtained Mott cells and a quantitative analysis of them under normal conditions and in atherosclerosis.