High Expression of Intestinal Homing Receptor CD103 in Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma, Similar to 2 Other CD8+ T-Cell Lymphomas

Abstract

We investigated the expression of the αEβ7 integrin (CD103)-intestinal homing receptor of T-intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) in 130 cases of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). We detected CD103 lymphoma cells in 55% (31/56) of mainly gastrointestinal (GI)-involved ATLL cases. Among them, lymphoma cells of 18 cases located in other involved organs had similar CD103 expression patterns. Histologically, we found (a) increased reactive IELs in non-neoplastic mucosal layers in 28% (5/18) of surgical and mucosal resection cases, (b) preserved epithelial glands, and (c) numerous small intraepithelial ATLL nests in involved lesions in 36 (69%) and 21 (40%), respectively, of the 52 examined cases. These 3 patterns were common in intestinal type II enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma but were rare in intestinal EBV nasal-type/like T/natural killer (NK)-cell lymphoma. We detected CD103 tumor cells in 41% (16/39) of lymph node-involved ATLL, in 31% (11/35) of skin-involved ATLL, in 68% (21/31) of type II CD4 enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma cases, in 36% (8/22) of primary gastric T/NK-cell lymphomas, and in 77% (7/9) of CD8 epidermotropic mycosis fungoides. CD103 ATLL prefers involving the GI tract over the skin (P<0.05). CD103 expression in GI-involved and/or total ATLL cases was significantly higher than in other 9 T/NK-cell lymphoma groups (P<0.05 or 0.01). Only ATLL cases were commonly CD103 in CD4 T/NK-cell lymphoma groups (P<0.05 or 0.01). Human T-lymphotropic virus-1-infected CD103 T-IELs and mucosal T cells may be important sources of ATLL.

Intraepithelial lymphocytes, scores, mimickers and challenges in diagnosing gluten-sensitive enteropathy (celiac disease)

“…In 1/10 of healthy individuals, a distinct population of TCRγδ-expressing lymphocytes has been recognized[ 39 , 66 , 67 ]. It is indeed an integrin of the β7 family, precisely CD103, which is responsible for the adhesion of the T lymphocytes to epithelial cells[ 68 - 70 ]. If frozen tissue is available, immunohistochemical typing for TCRγδ of T lymphocytes can be performed.…”

Clinicopathological analysis of 12 patients with Epstein–Barr virus‐positive primary intestinal T/natural killer‐cell lymphoma (EBV+ ITNKL)

“…Neoplastic T/NK cells exhibiting CD103 were observed most frequently in gastrointestinal T cell lymphomas, especially in enteropathy‐associated T cell lymphoma (EATL) and MEITL, and were also found in a subset of cases of adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and epidermotrophic CD8 + mycosis fungoides (MF) . Ishibashi et al . reported one of the 10 intestinal EBV + TNKL cases (10%) to be positive for CD103, the positive ratio of which was concordant with that (10%) in our series.…”

“…CD103 is a marker for homing receptors of intra‐epithelial and lamina propria lymphocytes . Neoplastic T/NK cells exhibiting CD103 were observed most frequently in gastrointestinal T cell lymphomas, especially in enteropathy‐associated T cell lymphoma (EATL) and MEITL, and were also found in a subset of cases of adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and epidermotrophic CD8 + mycosis fungoides (MF) . Ishibashi et al .…”

Endoscopic and clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal T/NK cell lymphoma

“…Small intestinal MEITL mostly showed intramucosal spreading of lymphoma cells with neoplastic CD103 + and CD8 + T-IELs [9]. It was reported that lymphoma cells in 21 of 31MEITL (68%) as well as 31 of 56 GI ATLL patients (55%) showed expression of CD103 homing receptor of T-IELs, and ATLL had similar histopathological characteristics to MEITL with respect to increased atypical and reactive T-IELs [18]. The endoscopic ndings of MEITL have been reported as edematous mucosa with mosaic and diffuse mucosal thickening patterns, and shallow ulceration, as well as ulcerative type tumors in the small intestine [21].…”

“…Histologic examination was performed in biopsy specimens of the GI tract from all 27 TNKCL patients and in colorectal surgical specimens from seven. In addition to the cytohistological characteristics of tumors, two additional histologic ndings were examined due to similar features between MEITL and ATLL [18]. Medium-sized and large atypical lymphocytes with irregular nuclei in ltrating the epithelium were de ned as atypical intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs).…”