TCL1 expression in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DC2s) and the related CD4+ CD56+ blastic tumors of skin

Blood. 2003 Jun 15;101(12):5007-9. doi: 10.1182/blood-2002-10-3297. Epub 2003 Feb 6.

Abstract

Initially considered to be of natural killer (NK)-cell origin, CD4+ CD56+ blastic tumors (BTs) of skin have recently been proposed to be of dendritic cell lineage. We have previously described BTs with transformation to myelomonocytic leukemia. Here we report expression of the lymphoid proto-oncogene TCL1 in 10 (83%) of 12 BTs and in lymph node plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DC2s). TCL1 was also expressed in myelomonocytic blasts of 3 transformed BT cases but not in true NK-cell tumors (n = 18), de novo acute myelomonocytic leukemias (1 of 14, 7%), or mature T-cell malignancies (1 of 112, < 1%), with the exception of T-prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL). All BT cases were also positive for the DC2-associated marker CD123. These results further support derivation of BTs from DC2s, and demonstrate that TCL1 expression in this tumor is common to the immature blastoid, lymphoid-appearing, and subsequent myelomonocytic phases of this disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bone Marrow / chemistry
  • Bone Marrow / immunology
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • CD4 Antigens / analysis*
  • CD56 Antigen / analysis*
  • Dendritic Cells / chemistry*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / chemistry
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interleukin-3 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • Killer Cells, Natural
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / pathology
  • Leukemia, Prolymphocytic / metabolism
  • Leukemia, T-Cell / metabolism
  • Lymph Nodes / immunology
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Lymphoma / chemistry
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / chemistry
  • Plasma Cells / chemistry
  • Plasma Cells / immunology
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases*
  • Proto-Oncogene Mas
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / analysis*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Receptors, Interleukin-3 / analysis
  • Skin Neoplasms / chemistry*
  • Skin Neoplasms / immunology

Substances

  • CD4 Antigens
  • CD56 Antigen
  • IL3RA protein, human
  • Interleukin-3 Receptor alpha Subunit
  • MAS1 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Mas
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Receptors, Interleukin-3
  • TCL1A protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt