A case report of T-cell lymphoma with suppressor phenotype and helper function for immunoglobulin synthesis

A patient with T-cell lymphoma is presented. The morphologic features of a biopsied lymph node were consistent with adult T-cell lymphoma with hypergammaglobulinemia, and most of the lymph node cells were reactive with monoclonal antibody OKT8, which detects suppressor/cytotoxic T lymphocytes. However, in a pokeweed mitogen-driven test system in which the capability of T lymphocytes to help or suppress the differentiation of B lymphocytes is measured, the lymphoma cells induced immunoglobulin synthesis of B lymphocytes, thus providing helper function. As far as we know, this is the first report on T-cell lymphoma having suppressor phenotype and helper function for immunoglobulin synthesis.