MONOCLONALITY IN REACTIVE LYMPHADENOPATHY - GENE REARRANGEMENT AND MULTIPARAMETER ANALYSIS

Multiparameter analysis of lymph nodes with follicular, interfollicula r, and/or atypical hyperplasia was undertaken to search for monoclonal ity. Twenty-three patients aged 7 to 75 years (mean 32 years) were stu died. One patient had a history of lymphoma; two were HIV-positive. No des were removed for clinical suspicion of lymphoma. Light microscopy revealed increased and & or abnormal follicular proliferation and occa sional progressive transformation of germinal centers. Immunostaining of frozen sections revealed CD4, CD8, kappa, and lambda positivity wit h more CD4+ than CD8 + cells. Flow cytometry showed a mixed population of T and B cells with no evidence of clonality. Hybridization studies with J(H) and J(K) probes showed rearranged bands in one case. No rea rrangements were seen with C(T)beta and bcl-2 probes. Follow-up of 3 t o 5 years showed no new occurrences of lymphoma. Although no evidence of monoclonality was seen with other parameters, DNA hybrizidation rev ealed heavy and light chain gene rearrangement in 4% (1 of 23).