Rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes and t3 expression in the absence of rearrangement of t-cell receptor β-chain gene in a patient with t-cell malignant lymphoma

We describe the rearrangement of immunoglobulin genes and T3 expression in the absence of rearrangement of T-cell receptor β-chain genes in a patient wih T-cell malignant lymphoma. He had a mediastinal mass and his lymphoma cells expressed T-cell antigens (OKT3+, OKT9+, and OKT10+). When we examined genomic DNA from the lymphoma cells, we detected the rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes with a germ-line configuration of light chain genes and no rearrangement of T-cell receptor β-chain gene. These results indicated that the rearrangement of immunoglobulin genes could occur in T-cell malignant lymphoma, and that T3 antigen could be expressed prior to the rearrangement of T-cell receptor β-chain genes under certain circumstances.