Lymphoblastic lymphoma of convoluted or acid phosphatase type-a tumor of T precursor cells

Five lymphatic neoplasms with strong focal acid phosphatase reactivity were selected from a group of acute lymphocytic leukemias and lymphoblastic lymphomas. All five cases showed an anterior mediastinal mass and exhibited identical morphology. This type of lymphoma has been described by Lukes under the term "malignant lymphoma of convoluted lymphocytes". Analysis of surface membrane receptors revealed that the tumor cells lacked surface immunoglobulin and receptors for Fc-fragment, but possessed receptors for complement (C3), untreated SRBC (ES) and SRBC treated with neuraminidase (ESN). By applying a mixed rosette assay using nucleated chicken erythrocytes coated with antibodies and C3, and denucleated ESN, it was found that a considerable number of tumor cells in all five cases formed mixed rosettes, i.e. that they bore the C3 receptor characteristic of B cells and simultaneously the E receptor characteristic of T cells. Thus the tumor cells resembled immature thymocytes of 10-15 weeks' gestation, which also show focal acid phosphatase reactivity and simultaneous expression of C3 and E receptors.