Chromosome Changes in Hodgkin's Disease2

Abstract

Chromosomes were examined in lymph-node biopsies from 6 cases of classical Hodgkin's disease, 1 of paragranuloma, and 1 of a probably related lymphadenopathy. Direct preparations were used as well as 16- and 72-hour cultures. Stained imprint preparations were also studied to identify which types of cell were dividing. In 5 cases {including the paragranuloma) hypotetraploid cells were found, twice with long marker chromosomes. These apparently corresponded to the neoplastic reticulum cells. In all of them, seemingly normal diploid cells, probably dividing plasma cells, were also present. In 2, some diploid cells showed a possible deletion of the long arms of a 17–18 chromosome. In 2 cases of typical Hodgkin's disease, all the cells analyzed were diploid and hypodiploid. In the 1 atypical case, a single analyzed cell had 48 chromosomes, with missing as well as extra chromosomes. Lymph nodes showing reactive hyperplasia were used as controls, and these had only diploid and hypodiploid cells. Because of this and other series, it is concluded that the usual picture in classical Hodgkin's disease is of 2 dividing cell populations: neoplastic cells with abnormal chromosome sets that are generally hypotetraploid and normal diploid cells corresponding to the immune or inflammatory reaction.