Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity distinguishes nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease from nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease, T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma.

Several recent reports have suggested that nodular lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease (NLPHD) may be distinct from other forms of Hodgkin's disease and may be more closely related to B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This is primarily based on immunophenotypic studies that have shown that the L & H cells in NLPHD demonstrate a B-cell phenotype. In 1989, Poppema reported that the T cells in NLPHD differ from T cells in other forms of Hodgkin's disease in that they demonstrate reactivity for Leu 7 (CD57). In this study we tested the hypothesis that Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity of small lymphocytes in NLPHD is an immunophenotypic feature that distinguishes NLPHD from nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease and from certain B-cell lymphomas that may histologically simulate NLPHD, namely T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. Using an image analysis method, we found Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity in an average of 18.9% of the small lymphocytes in the nodules of NLPHD compared with 3.9% in nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease, 4.3% in T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma, and 2.1% in follicular lymphoma. Moreover, Leu 7 (CD57)-reactive small lymphocytes often showed a distinctive pattern in NLPHD, forming a ring of cells around the large L & H cells. While scattered Leu 7 (CD57)-reactive lymphocytes were found in the other disorders, the percentage of reactive cells and the pattern of reactivity were significantly different in NLPHD. These results suggest that Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity may be used as an additional immunophenotypic criterion in distinguishing NLPHD from nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease, T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma. The clinical and biological significance of Leu 7 (CD57) reactivity of small lymphocytes in NLPHD merits further investigation.