Post Transplant CD8+ γδ T-Cell Lymphoma Associated with Human Herpes Virus-6 Infection

Abstract

γδ T-cell lymphoma is a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder that has been reported in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised persons. This report describes a forty eight year old patient who developed γδ T-cell lymphoma four years after undergoing living-related kidney transplantation. The lymphoma expressed CD2, CD3, CD7, CD8 and CD56, and the γδ T-cell receptor and did not express CD5, CD4 and the αβ T-cell receptor. In addition, HHV-6 was cultured from the patient's bone marrow, marking the first time that this virus has been associated with γδ T-cell lymphoma. Since all patients with γδ T-cell lymphoma described to date have responded poorly to standard combination chemotherapies, the patient was treated with the purine analogue 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine. While he responded transiently to treatment, long term remission was not achieved indicating that additional therapeutic approches still need to be developed, for the management of this disorder.

Key Words:

• γδ T-cell lymphoma
• kidney transplantation
• HHV-6
• 2-chloro-deoxyadenosine