B Cells and Plasma Cells in Mycosis Fungoides; A Study Including Cases with B Cell Follicle Formation or a Monotypical Plasma Cell Component

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Abstract
B cells formed a distinctive component (>5%) of the infiltrates in specimens of 28% (n = 12) of the 43 cases of mycosis fungoides studied. A large majority expressed surface immunoglobulin (Ig) D and/or IgM and a small minority IgA, similar to the proportions in inflammatory infiltrates. There was a prevalence of γ light-chain expression. In about half of these cases, specimens revealed the formation of B cell follicles at various stages of development. Plasma cells formed a substantial number (>25/mm2) in specimens from 21% (n = 9) of the patients. In six of these cases, including all four cases with advanced follicle formation, the same specimens were also rich in B lymphocytes. In most of the specimens the varying majorities of IgA or IgG producing cells and the polytypical expression of k and γ light chains were similar to the patterns in inflammatory disorders. Two cases showed a striking prevalence of IgG, k-positive plasma cells, which was present in multiple specimens of one case and was associated with atypical plasmacytoid cells in a tumor of the other case. The pertinence of these observations for a special relationship between the abnormal T cells and the B cell component is discussed.

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