Expression of high amounts of the CD117 molecule in a case of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma carrying the t(14 : 18) translocation

The c-kit proto-oncogen (CD117) has been described to be present in normal and neoplastic hemopoietic cells including both myeloid and lymphoid lineag es. Among the normal lymphoid cells CD117 expression would be restricted to a small subset of NK-cells, and to early T-cell precursors and it is not e xpressed by normal B-cells, Regarding chronic lymphoproliferative disorders the only data provided up to now suggests that CD117 expression is restric ted to cases of Hodgkin's disease and anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. In th e present paper we describe a case of a B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorder carrying the t(14:18) translocation as demonstrated by molecular s tudies, in which the flow cytometric immunophenotypic analysis of both peri pheral blood and bone marrow samples revealed the expression of high amount s of the CD117 antigen in the surface of the clonal B-cell population. Furt her studies are necessary to explore both the functional role of c-kit expr ession in the neoplastic B-cells from this patient and its potential utilit y for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lym phoma. Am. J. Hematol. 63:226-229, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.