[Aggressive natural killer cell lymphoproliferative disease of large granular lymphocytes with leukemia-like clinical course in the terminalstage]

Rinsho Ketsueki. 1991 Feb;32(2):162-6.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

A 20-year-old man was admitted to our clinic with fever elevation up to 39 degrees C for two months, generalized lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. Histological examination of right scalene lymph node with HE staining showed T cell lymphoma-like finding. The patient was given vindesine and prednisolone, and there was almost no clinical improvement. Abnormal large granular lymphocyte appeared in peripheral blood and increased up to 17,000/microliters in the terminal stage of clinical course. These lymphocytes had abundant pale cytoplasm with rich large azurophilic granules and a large nucleus with a few nucleoli. The phenotype of these cells were as follows: Fc gamma R+, CD2+, CD5-, CD7-, CD3-, CD4-, CD1-, CD8-, sIg-, CD20-, CD11-, CD13-, OKIa+, CD25-, CD16+, Leu7-. These cells did not have the activity of antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity but had natural killer activity. The gene of T cell receptor (beta and gamma chain) did not rearranged in these cells. We concluded that the abnormal cells were derived from natural killer cells, which caused aggressive clinical course.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antigens, CD / analysis
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural / pathology*
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / immunology
  • Lymphoproliferative Disorders / pathology*
  • Male
  • Splenomegaly
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology

Substances

  • Antigens, CD