A review and interpretation of cytogenetic abnormalities identified in Hodgkin's disease

The nature of the cell which gives origin to Hodgkin's disease remains unclear after years of intensive investigation. Cytogenetic data, which are very scarce in Hodgkin's disease, could contribute information which might help elucidate this problem. Review of our own data and others shows that the most frequent abnormalities in this disorder involve chromosomes 14q in 35 per cent of cases, 11q in 32 per cent, 6q in 32 per cent, and 8q in 18 per cent. The most common breakpoint in chromosome 14 occurred at 14q32 where the IgH chain genes reside thus suggesting that in these cases the cell of origin might be a B lymphocyte. The 11q and 6q structural abnormality have also been frequently seen in lymphoid disorders such as ALL and large cell lymphoma. Of interest also is the fact that in a certain type of childhood pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia which shows cytogenetic abnormalities on 11q23, aberrant myeloid and monocytic markers are seen. This suggests that in Hodgkin's disease a similar phenomenon might occur which could help to explain why the Reed-Sternberg cell expresses myeloid-monocytic antigens such as Leu M-1.