[Malignant histiocytosis with T cell receptor and immunoglobulin gene rearrangements]

A case of malignant histiocytosis with rearrangements of both T-cell receptor and immunoglobulin genes. The patient was a 69 year-old woman suffering from high fever, which was unresponsive to the administration of various antibiotics and steroids for more than two weeks. Laboratory findings on admission revealed disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and liver dysfunction. The bone marrow examination showed an increased number of giant cells. Some of the giant cells had phagocytosis of various blood cells and were cytochemically stained with non-specific esterase, but not with myeloperoxidase and PAS. Immunohistochemical study revealed that alpha 1-antitrypsin alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, lysozyme and CD15 were all detected in the cytoplasm of some giant cells while CD30 was not detected. Of interest was the rearrangements of the T-cell receptor, Ig heavy chain and kappa chain genes on bone marrow mononuclear cells demonstrated by Southern blot analysis.