Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Quantitative analysis of lymphoid cells in myocosis fungoides, Sézary's syndrome and parapsoriasis en plaques

  • Original Works
  • Published:
Archives of Dermatological Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Semi-thin sections are superior to paraffin sections for differentiating lymphoid cells. To test their possible significance in the diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, the following investigation was made:

A quantitative analysis of lymphoid cells in the cellular infiltrate of cutaneous lesions of mycosis fungoides (11 cases), Sézary's syndrome (9 cases), and parapsoriasis en plaques (14 cases) was made using semi-thin sections of eponembedded biopsies. As controls biopsies of patch test reactions, contact dermatitis, initial psoriasis, and erythema chronicum migrans were studied. A high percentage of Lutzner (Sézary) cells was consistently found in Sézary's syndrome and occasionally in parapsoriasis en plaques only. In mycosis fungoides lymphocytoid cells with the nuclei, less dense than in normal lymphocytes were predominant. In most tumorous lesions of mycosis fungoides and of Sézary's syndrome an increased percentage of immunoblasts was noted. Normal lymphocytes were the most frequent cell type in parapsoriasis en plaques as well as in the controls.

These findings may prove helpful in the diagnosis of problem cases, for which the use of semi-thin sections is recommended.

Zusammenfassung

Semi-Dünnschnitte erlauben eine bessere morphologische Differenzierung von lymphoiden Zellen als Paraffinschnitte. Zur Prüfung ihrer möglichen Bedeutung bei der Diagnostik von kutanen T-Zell-Lymphomen wurden folgende Untersuchungen durchgeführt:

Lymphoide Zellen im cellulären Infiltrat von Hautläsionen bei Mykosis fungoides (11 Fälle), Sézary-Syndrom (9 Fälle) und Parapsoriasis en plaques (14 Fälle) wurden mittels Semi-Dünnschnitten von Epon-eingebetteten Biopsien quantitativ analysiert. Als Kontrollen wurden Biopsien von Epikutan-Test-Reaktionen, Kontaktdermatitis, initialer Psoriasis und Erythema chronicum migrans untersucht. Eine hohe Prozentzahl von Lutzner-(Sézary)-Zellen fand sich ständig beim Sézary-Syndrom und gelegentlich bei der Parapsoriasis en plaques. Bei der Mycosis fungoides überwogen lymphocytoide Zellen mit helleren Kernen als bei normalen Lymphocyten. In den meisten Tumorläsionen sowohl bei der Mycosis fungoides als auch beim Sézary-Syndrom fand sich eine erhöhte Prozentzahl von Immunoblasten. Lymphocyten waren der häufigste Zelltyp bei der Parapsoriasis en plaques und bei den Kontrollen.

Diese Befunde könnten nützlich für die Diagnostik von Problemfällen sein, für die die Semi-Dünnschnitt-Technik als eine weitere Methode empfohlen wird.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Biberfeld, P.: Morphogenesis in blood lymphocytes stimulated with PHA. Acta Pathol. Microbiol. scand. (A) Suppl. 223, 1–66 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bonvalet, D., Colau-Gohm, K., Belaich, S., Civatte, J., Degos, R.: Les differentes formes du parapsoriasis en plaques (à propos de 90 cas). Ann. Dermatol. Syphiligr. (Paris) 104, 18–25 (1977)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Braun-Falco, O., Schmoeckel, C., Wolff, H. H.: The ultrastructure of mycosis fungoides, of Sézary's syndrome, and of Woringer-Kolopp's disease (pagetoid reticulosis). Bull. Cancer 64, 191–208 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Burg, G., Braun-Falco, O.: Cutaneous non-Hodgkin lymphoma: reevaluation of the histology using enzymecytochemical and immunological studies. Int. J. Derm. 17, 496–505 (1978)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Brouet, J. C., Flandrin, G., Seligman, M.: Indications of the thymus derived nature of the proliferating cells in six patients with Sézary's syndrome. N. Eng. J. Med. 289, 341–344 (1973)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Clendenning, W. E., Brecher, G., Van Scott, E. J.: Mycosis fungoides. Arch. Dermatol. Syphiligr. (Chic.) 89, 785–792 (1964)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Edelson, R. L., Kirkpatrick, C. H., Shevach, E. M., Schein, P. S., Smith R. W., Green, I., Lutzner, M.: Preferential cutaneous infiltration by neoplastic thymus-derived lymphocytes. Ann. Inter Med. 80, 685–692 (1974)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Flaxman, B. A., Zelanzny, G., Van Scott, E. J.: Nonspecificity of characteristic cells in mycosis fungoides. Arch. Dermatol. Syphiligr. (Chic) 104, 141–147 (1971)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Gérard-Marchant, R., Hamilin, I., Lennert, K., Rilke F. Stansfeld, A. G., Van Unnick, J. A. M.: Classification of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Lancet 1974, 2/1, 406–408

    Google Scholar 

  10. Goos, M.: T-cell specific microenvironment in mycosis fungoides. Arch. Dermatol. Res. 255, 215–218 (1976)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Heid, E., Desvaux, J., Brändle, J., Grosshans, E.: Der Verlauf der parapsoriasis en plaques (Brocq'sche Krankheit). Z. Hautkr. Geschl. Kr. 52, 658–662 (1977)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Kienitz, T., Burg, G., Schmoeckel C., Weitz, H., Braun-Falco, O.: High grade malignant lymphoma arising from Sézary's syndrome. Dermatologica (in press)

  13. Lutzner, M. A., Hobbs, J. W., Horvath, P.: Ultrastructure of abnormal cells. In Sézary's syndrome, mycosis fungoides, and parapsoriasis en plaques. Arch. Dermatol. Syphiligr. (Chic.) 103, 375–386 (1971)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Meyer, C. J. L. M., Leeuwen, A. W. F. M. van, Loo, E. M. van der, Putte, L. B. A. van der, Vloten, W. A. van: Cerebriform (Sézary-like) mononuclear cells in healthy individuals: A morphologically distinct population of T-cells. Virchows Archiv (Cell Pathol.) 25, 95–104 (1977)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Rosas-Uribe, A., Variakojis, D., Molznar, Z., Rapparot H.: Mycosis fungoides: an ultrastructural study. Cancer (Philad.) 34, 634–645 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Schmitt, D., Viac, J., Brochier, J., Thivolet, J.: Thymus-derived origin of Sézary cells demonstrated by peroxydase-conjugated anti-HTLA serum. acta Dermatol. Venerol. (Stock.) 56, 489–497 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Schmoekel, C., Braun-Falco, O., Klingmüller, G., Burg, G.: Lymphome immunoblastique epidermotrope (mycosis fongoide à haut degré de malignité). In preparation

  18. Schwarze, E. W., Ude, P.: Immunoblastic sarcoma with leukemic blood picture in the terminal stage of mycosis fungoides. Virchows Arch. (Pathol. Anat.) 369, 165–172 (1975)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Leeuwen, A. W. F. M. van, Meijer C. J. L. M., Man, J. C. H. de: T-cell membrane characteristics of “mycosis cells” in the skin and lymph node. J. Invest. Dermatol. 65, 367–369 (1975)

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Vries, E. de, Leeuwen, A. W. F. M. van, Putte, L. B. A. van de, Lafeber, G. J. M., Meijer, C. J. L. M.: Atypical T-cells in rheumatoid synovial membranes. Virchows Archiv (Cell Pathol.) 24, 19–26 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Yeckley, J. A., Weston, W. L., Thorne, E. G., Krueger, G. G.: Production of Sézary-like cells from normal human lymphocytes. Arch. Dermatol. Syphiligr. (Chic.) 111, 29–32 (1975)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Munich, Frauenlobstr. 9, D-8000, München 2, Germany

    Christian Schmoeckel, Günter Burg & Otto Braun-Falco

Authors
  1. Christian Schmoeckel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Günter Burg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Otto Braun-Falco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schmoeckel, C., Burg, G. & Braun-Falco, O. Quantitative analysis of lymphoid cells in myocosis fungoides, Sézary's syndrome and parapsoriasis en plaques. Arch Dermatol Res 264, 17–28 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00417275

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00417275

Key words

Schlüsselwörter

Search

Navigation