T-cell Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia Manifesting in Patients with HIV-1 Infection: Cases Series and Review of the Literature

Abstract

We report five patients with human immunodeficiency virus-1/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV-1/AIDS) who developed T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGLL). None of the patients fulfilled criteria for diagnosis of diffuse infiltrative lymphocyte syndrome (DILS) or HIV-associated CD8+ lymphocytosis syndrome at the time of diagnosis of LGLL. The immunophenotype of malignant T-cells was identical in three patients with co-expression of CD3, CD8, CD57, and T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha/beta. Three out of five patients were also diagnosed with clonal disorders of B-cell origin including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Burkitt’s lymphoma, and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Two patients developed cytopenias due to T-LGLL prompting initiation of therapy. Our study suggests that chronic viral infection with HIV can contribute to evolution of T-LGLL. Clinical and laboratory characteristics of T-LGLL associated with HIV-1/AIDS resemble those of immunocompetent patients.

Keywords

• T-cell LGLL
• HIV-1
• AIDS
• clonal
• large granular lymphocyte
• leukemia