QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF CELLULAR PROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY IN 35 T-CELLNON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMAS - USE OF PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN AND KI-67 (MIB-1) ANTIBODIES AND NUCLEOLAR ORGANIZER REGIONS

OBJECTIVE: To analyze cellular proliferation in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of T-cell origin using three variables available on histologic paraffin, dewaxed sections. STUDY DESIGN: The study group consisted of 35 T NHLs (22 low and 13 high grade). Two immunohistochemical methods established the percentage of cells expressing proliferating cellular nuclear antigen (PCNA), or PCNA index, and the Ki-67 antigen, or MIB- 1 index. The third method quantified nucleolar organizer regions (NORs ) with an image analyzer, giving the NOX area and number of NORs; an i nternal reference on lymphocytes was used. RESULTS: For the PCNA index , each subtype of low grade NHL demonstrated a difference as compared with high grade NHL except for angioimmunoblastic type NHL (AILD). The difference between the two grades became significant after including AILD-type NHL within high grade NHL (P=.02). The MIB-1 index gave simi lar results. The PCNA index and MlB-1 correlated (r=.55, P=.008). The relative NOX al en and number of NORs differed significantly between t he two grades (P<10(-4) and P<10(-2)); the absolute NOR ar ea differed to a lesser degree (P=.02), and no difference was observed for the ab solute number of NORs (P=.07), stressing the importance of an internal reference. NOX areas and numbers correlated highly (r=.90 for relativ e and .78 for absolute variables, P<10(-4)). No relation teas found be tween PCNA and MIB-1 indexes. CONCLUSION: Correlations between these v ariables and grades of malignancy, between the two indices with each o ther and between the AgNOR variables with each other, including referr ing to internal lymphocytes, were reported for these T NHL-like tumors in studies on B NHL. The proliferative character of the AILD-type T N HL was in accordance with their worse prognosis. The absence of a corr elation between PCNA or MIB-1 indices and NOX variables may reflect a biologic difference between B and T NHLs in a shorter cell cycle or mo re important functional activity in T NHL.