Human t(14;18)positive germinal center B cells: a new step in follicular lymphoma pathogenesis?

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a B-cell neoplasm resulting from the transformation of germinal center (GC) B cells. Although t(14;18) and ectopic B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) expression constitute the genetic hallmark of FL, t(14;18)(pos) B cells bearing genotypic and phenotypic features of FL cells can be found in the blood of most healthy individuals. Nevertheless, the localization of these FL-like cells (FLLCs) in nonmalignant GC-rich tissues and the functional consequences of BCL2 overexpression have not been evaluated thus far. Among 85 reactive lymph node (RLN) samples, 14% were found to contain high levels of t(14; 18) by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In t(14;18)(hi) RLNs, CD20(pos) BCL2(pos) CD10(pos) FLLCs consistently accumulated within the GC, essentially as nonproliferative CXCR4(neg) centrocytes. Moreover, they displayed a reduced response to proliferative stimuli in vitro. Altogether, our findings provide new insights into in situ FLLC functional properties and suggest that these cells have not acquired the ultimate genetic events leading to FL transformation.