Expression of enolases in T cell tumors and Hodgkin's disease

Oka, K.; Mori, N.; Haimoto, H.; Kato, K.

Laboratory Investigation; A Journal of Technical Methods and Pathology 63(6): 792-797

1990


ISSN/ISBN: 0023-6837
PMID: 2255187
Document Number: 351010
Frozen biopsy specimens taken from 30 cases with T cell tumors (8 with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 8 with T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, and 14 with peripheral T cell lymphomas), and from 12 with Hodgkin's disease, were investigated using a direct immunohistochemical method to detect .alpha.-, .beta.- and .gamma.-enolases. Normal thymus and lymph node specimens with reactive lymphadenitis were also investigated. Subcortical thymocytes and the majority of deep cortical thymocytes showed reactivity of .alpha.-/.beta.-/.gamma.--.+-.-enolases, and medullary thymocytes and small lymphocytes in T zone areas of lymph node showed reactivity of .alpha.+/.beta.-/.gamma.--.+-.-enolases. Seven of the 8 cases with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia showed reactivity of .alpha.-/.beta.-/.gamma.--enolases or .alpha.+/.beta.-/.gamma.--enolases in leukemia lymphocytes, 7 of the 8 cases with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma showed reactivity of .beta.+-enolase, and all 14 cases with peripheral T-cell lymphomas showed reactivity of .alpha.-/.beta.--+/.gamma.+-enolases in lymphoma cells. All the 12 cases with Hodgkin's disease showed reactivity of .alpha.-/.beta.+/.gamma.+-enolases in Reed-Sternberg and Hodgkin's cells. These results indicate the following: (a) The neoplastic cells of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma and peripheral T cell lymphomas present different expressions in each of these three categories. This may imply a difference of maturation and differentiation or activation among neoplastic T lymphocytes. (b) T lymphocytes may switch from .alpha.- to .beta.-enolase and from .alpha.- to .gamma.-enolase in the course of differentiation and activation. (c) It is worth noting that the Reed-Sternberg and Hodgkin's cells of Hodgkin's disease present an identical expression of enolases.

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