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BMC veterinary research2022; 18(1); 267; doi: 10.1186/s12917-022-03365-7

Cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma in a donkey – a case report.

Abstract: Cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma is a malignant tumour of the skin already reported in humans, dogs, cats, horses, and other species, but not previously in donkeys. The standard diagnosis is based on clinical, morphological and immunophenotypic data. Differentiation of malignant versus benign proliferation of lymphocytes is crucial; in ambiguous cases T-cell receptor gamma (TRG) molecular clonality should be tested. In the present paper, we report a case of mycosis fungoides diagnosed in a donkey whose diagnosis was based on clinical, histological and immunohistochemical aspects and a positive TRG clonality test. Methods: A twenty-five-year-old donkey gelding was referred with a mildly pruritic, generalised and severe exfoliative dermatosis. Otherwise, the animal was clinically healthy, though mildly underweight. Dermatological examination revealed severe generalised alopecic and exfoliative dermatitis, occasionally eroded, with high number of large, thin, greyish scales. All mucocutaneous junctions except the hoofs were affected. Ectoparasites and dermatophytes were ruled out. The complete blood count and blood smear evaluation revealed mild normocytic normochromic anemia. The biochemistry panel showed mild hyperproteinemia with albumin within the normal range. Protein electrophoresis showed moderate polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia. Histological findings were characterised by interface dermatitis with massive exocytosis in the epidermis of a homogenous population of lymphoid cells showing atypia. Clusters of neoplastic cells were present within the epidermis forming Pautrier "microabscesses". These findings are consistent with cutaneous epitheliotropic lymphoma. Immunohistochemical staining revealed uniform labelling of the neoplastic cells for CD3, and lack of expression of CD20 (a B cell lineage associated marker). Molecular clonality PCR (PARR) was performed using equine TRG primers; this revealed a clonal rearrangement in a heavy polyclonal background. Transmission electronic microscopy showed multiple lymphocytes with convoluted or cerebriform nuclei. Conclusions: This case report provides the first evidence of clinical, histopathological, immunophenotypic features, electron microscopy findings and molecular analysis of a cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides) in a donkey. Our observations suggest that cutaneous T-cell lymphoma should be included in the differential diagnoses of exfoliative dermatitis, even those progressing in a chronic pattern and/or with few or no pruritus.
© 2022. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2022-07-11 PubMed ID: 35821128PubMed Central: PMC9275177DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03365-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study reports the first-ever case of a donkey contracting cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma, a malignant skin tumor, with diagnosis confirmed through clinical, histological, immunohistochemical aspects, and a positive TRG clonality test.

Research Overview

  • The researchers conducted a case study investigation on a 25-year-old donkey gelding that had displayed signs of cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma. These signs included mildly pruritic (itchy), widespread, severe exfoliative dermatosis (scaling), and alopecia (hair loss) with some skin erosion.
  • The donkey was also mildly underweight, but otherwise clinically healthy. All mucocutaneous junctions, except the hooves, were affected by the condition. Any possibility for the presence of ectoparasites and dermatophytes was eliminated by the study team.

Medical Findings

  • Medical tests carried out on the donkey revealed mild normocytic normochromic anemia and mild hyperproteinemia with normal albumin levels within the donkey’s bloodstream. Protein electrophoresis revealed a moderate polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia.
  • The presence of several lymphocytes with twisted or cerebriform nuclei was observed under transmission electronic microscopy.

Historical and Immunohistochemical Analysis

  • Deep analysis of the donkey’s skin tissue showed massive exocytosis of lymphoid cells in the epidermis, forming microscopic clusters known as Pautrier microabscesses. These are tissue characteristics of cutaneous epitheliotropic lymphoma.
  • The immunohistochemical staining of these cells revealed a uniform labeling for CD3, a marker associated with T cells, and a lack of expression of CD20, a marker associated with B cells. This implied the cancer was of T-cell lineage.

Conclusions

  • The case was then confirmed to be that of cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma, also known as mycosis fungoides, after a molecular clonality PCR (PARR) was conducted using equine TRG primers – revealing a clonal rearrangement indicative of cancer amongst much normal cell-growth.
  • The findings of this study make it the first to document clinical, histopathological, immunophenotypic features, electron microscopy findings, and molecular analyses of such a case in a donkey. It also suggested that cutaneous T-cell lymphoma should be included in differential diagnoses of exfoliative dermatitis, even those progressing in a chronic pattern and/or with few or no pruritus.

Cite This Article

APA
Kondratjeva J, Julien F, Coutelier C, Humeau L, Moog F, Combarros D, Fourquaux I, Pressanti C, Delverdier M, Moore PF, Cadiergues MC. (2022). Cutaneous epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma in a donkey – a case report. BMC Vet Res, 18(1), 267. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-022-03365-7

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 18
Issue: 1
Pages: 267

Researcher Affiliations

Kondratjeva, Jevgenija
  • Small Animal and Equine Hospital, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Julien, Florie
  • Selarl Hippovet Aude, Laure Minervois, France.
Coutelier, Céline
  • Small Animal and Equine Hospital, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Humeau, Louis
  • Small Animal and Equine Hospital, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Moog, Fabien
  • Small Animal and Equine Hospital, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Combarros, Daniel
  • Small Animal and Equine Hospital, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
  • INFINITy, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, InsermToulouse, France.
Fourquaux, Isabelle
  • Centre de Microscopie Electronique Appliquée À La Biologie, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Pressanti, Charline
  • Small Animal and Equine Hospital, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
  • INFINITy, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, InsermToulouse, France.
Delverdier, Maxence
  • Basic Sciences Department, Université de Toulouse, ENVT, Toulouse, France.
  • IHAP, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Toulouse, France.
Moore, Peter F
  • Leukocyte Antigen Biology Laboratory, UC Davis, VM PMI, Davis, CA, USA.
Cadiergues, Marie Christine
  • Small Animal and Equine Hospital, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France. marie-christine.cadiergues@envt.fr.
  • INFINITy, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, InsermToulouse, France. marie-christine.cadiergues@envt.fr.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Dermatitis, Exfoliative / veterinary
  • Equidae
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / diagnosis
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / pathology
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / veterinary
  • Male
  • Mycosis Fungoides / diagnosis
  • Mycosis Fungoides / pathology
  • Mycosis Fungoides / veterinary
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta
  • Skin Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / veterinary

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Paraschou G, Xue C, Egan R, Bolfa P. Multicentric lymphoma in a donkey with intestinal and bone marrow involvement. BMC Vet Res 2024 Feb 15;20(1):57.
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  2. Dumitrache MO, Györke A, Julien F, Kondratjeva J, Cadiergues MC. Case report: Identification of the tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti) on a domestic donkey in France. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1141290.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1141290pubmed: 37303734google scholar: lookup
  3. Rissi DR, Avery AC, Burnett RC. T-cell-rich, large B-cell lymphoma in the brain of a horse. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023 May;35(3):327-331.
    doi: 10.1177/10406387231164368pubmed: 36946511google scholar: lookup
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