Clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in tissues involved by Hodgkin's disease.

The nature of Reed-Sternberg cells, the abnormal cells of Hodgkin's disease, is controversial. Morphological and immunologic marker studies suggested different cells of origin. To investigate a possible B or T cell origin, immunoglobulin and T cell receptor gene analyses were performed on tissues from 11 patients in early and late stages of Hodgkin's disease. In addition, the immunologic marker patterns of the Reed-Sternberg cells were determined. Rearrangements of immunoglobulin heavy- and light-chain genes were detected in tissues from five patients, particularly in late stages of the disease when lymphocyte depletion had occurred. No rearrangements of T cell receptor genes were found. The results indicate that clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements can be detected in tissues involved by Hodgkin's disease.