Summary
The phenotype of the lymphoid cell component of 35 thymomas was investigated by analyzing cryostat sections and lymphocyte suspensions. The morphology in each case was determined by examining multiple tissue samples from different parts of the tumor. Structural heterogeneity was shown in 14 thymomas, and a homogeneous morphology of cortical or medullary or mixed types in the others. To assess whether this heterogeneity was correlated with differences in the lymphoid phenotype, we analyzed both lymphocyte suspensions and frozen sections from the same samples. Phenotypical differences in the suspensions of each thymoma in the heterogeneous group were noted and similar differences were also observed in the cryostat sections. Phenotypical abnormalities were found in some thymomas. They consisted of the simultaneous expression of cortical and medullary markers, which was most marked in the heterogenous mixed-type thymomas invading the lung. Furthermore, the global phenotype was tested on a pool of lymphocyte suspensions in all thymomas. This procedure distinguished cortical, medullary and intermediate cortico-medullary immunophenotype models which closely correlated with the tumor histology. It was concluded that, due to the frequent structural and immunological heterogeneity of thymomas, correct assessment of their lymphoid component requires a twostep analysis. This comprises: 1) individual suspensions from samples taken from different areas of the same thymoma, and 2) a pool of these suspensions. The first step will reveal the different immunological characteristics. In the second, the lymphocyte phenotype, which may vary widely throughout the tumor, will be represented in its totality. These findings may be of great help in predicting clinical patterns, especially possible malignant evolution.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bahn AK, Reinherz EL, Poppema S, McCluskey RT, Schlossman ST (1980) Location of T cell and major histocompatibility complex antigens in the human thymus. J Exp Med 152:771–782
Bevan MJ (1987) In a radiation chimera host H-2 antigens determine the immune responsiveness of donor cytotoxic cells. Nature 269:417–418
Chan WC, Zaatari GS, Tabei S, Bibb M, Brynes RK (1984) Thymoma: an immunohistochemical study. Am J Clin Pathol 82:160–166
Chilosi M, Iannucci AM, Pizzolo G, Menestrina F, Fiore-Donati L, Janossy G (1984) Immunohistochemical analysis of thymoma. Evidence for medullary origin of epithelial cells. Am J Surg Pathol 8:309–318
Gaudecker B von (1986) The development of the human microenvironment. In: Müller-Hermelink HK (ed) The human thymus. Histophysiology and Pathology. Current topics in pathology, vol 75. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo, pp 1–41
Habu S, Tamaoki N (1977) Thymocyte differentiation from precursor cells in the embryonic thymus of nude and normal mice. In: Nomura T, Ohsawa N, Tamaoki N, Fujiwara K (ed) Proc Sec Int Works on Nude Mice Tokyo. Verlag, Stuttgart New York, pp 197–206
Haynes BF (1984) The human thymic microenvironment. In: Dixon FJ (ed) Advances in Immunology, vol 36. Academic Press Inc. pp 87–142
Janossy G, Prentice HG (1982) T cell populations, monoclonal antibodies and their therapeutic applications. Clin Hematol 11:631–660
Kornstein MJ, Hoxie JA, Levinson AL, Brooks JJ (1985) Immunohistology of human thymoma. Arch Pathol Lab Med 109:460–463
Lanier LL, Allison JP, Phillis JH (1986) Correlation of cell surface antigen expression on human thymocytes by multi-color flow cytometric analysis: implications for differentiation. J Immunol 137:2501–2507
Marino M, Müller-Hermelink HK (1985) Thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Relation of thymoma epithelial cells to the cortical and medullary differentiation of thymus. Virchows Arch [A] 407:119–149
Mokhtar NM, Hsu SM, Lad R, Haynes BF, Jaffe ES (1984) Thymoma: lymphoid and epithelial components mirror the phenotype of normal thymus. Hum Pathol 15:378–384
Müller-Hermelink HK, Marino M, Palestro G, Schumacher U, Kirchner T (1985) Immunohistological evidences of cortical and medullary differentiation of thymus. Virchows Arch [A] 408:143–161
Müller-Hermelink HK, Marino M, Palestro G (1986) Pathology of thymic epithelial tumors. In: Müller-Hermelink HK (ed) The human thymus. Histophysiology and pathology. Current topics in pathology, vol 75. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo, 1986, pp 208–268
Palestro G, Valente G, Botto Micca F, Novero D, Arisio R (1980) Detection and distribution of -naphtyl acetate esterase activity in thymocytes of normal, myasthenic thymus and thymoma. Virchows Arch Cell Pathol 35:33–43
Pelestro G, Valente G, Novero D, Stramignoni D, Geuna M, Rosai J (1987) Relationship between structure and T-lymphocyte maturation in human thymomas. Enzyme histochemical and immunohistological studies. Virchows Arch [B] 52:389–402
Papiernick M, Laroche L (1982) Thymic medullary lymphocytes. I. lymphokines produced by thymic medullary lymphocytes as a second signal for intrathymic stem cell homing. Cell Immunol 66:233–239
Sato Y, Watanabe S, Mukai K, Kodama T, Upton MP, Goto M, Shimosato Y (1986) An immunohistochemical study of thymic epithelial tumors. II Lymphoid component. Am J Surg Pathol 10:862–870
Scollay R, Jacobs S, Jerobek L, Butcher E, Weissman I (1980) T cell maturation: thymocyte and thymus migrant subpopulations defined with monoclonal antibodies to MHC region antigens. J Immunol 124:2845–2853
Steinmann G, Colon P, Hefeneider S, Gillis S (1983) Serological visualization of interleukin 2. Science 220:1188–1190
Tidman N, Janossy G, Bodger M, Granger S, Kung PC, Goldstein G (1981) Delineation of human thymocyte differentiation pathways utilizing double-staining techniques with monoclonal antibodies. Clin Exp Immunol 45:457–467
Weissman IL, Rouse RV, Kyewski BA, Lepault F, Butcher EC, Kaplan HS, Scollay RG (1982) Thymic lymphocyte maturation in the thymic microenvironment. Behring Inst Mitt 70:242–251
Woda BA, Bain K, Salm TV (1984) The phenotype of lymphocytes in a thymoma as studied with monoclonal antibodies. Clin Immunol Immunopathol 30:197–201
Zinkernagel RM (1979) The thymus: its influence on recognition of self major histocompatibility antigens by T-cells and consequences for reconstitution of immuno deficiency. In: Cooper MD, Lawton AR, Milscher PA, Mueller-Heberard HJ (eds) Immune deficiency. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 171–181
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Palestro, G., Geuna, M., Novero, D. et al. Immunophenotype of thymoma-associated lymphoid cell component of T-cell type. Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathol 59, 297–304 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02899417
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02899417