Study of the CD3-associated T-cell receptors reveals further differences between T-cell acute lymphoblastic lymphoma and leukemia

Blood. 1990 Feb 15;75(4):931-4.

Abstract

We show further differences between two clinically related entities, T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LL), by using several monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) reacting with either constant or variable regions of T-cell receptors (TcR) alpha beta and gamma delta or with various CD molecules. We analyzed a panel of 15 T-ALL and 15 T-LL selected for their cell surface expression of the CD3 molecules. The results indicated that TcR gamma delta is more frequently used than TcR alpha beta in T-ALL (10 of the 15 patients tested). This is in contrast to the results obtained with T-LL where the vast majority expressed TcR alpha beta (13 of the 15 patients). These findings suggest that the leukemic cells could have a different origin in these two diseases. In addition, analysis of TcR variable regions expressed by the leukemic blasts showed that, in most cases, they had rearranged functional V delta 1 gene segments (8 of 11 patients), whereas in a unique case V delta 2 gene segment was used. Together, these results and those indicating that T-ALL cells coexpress the CD1a, b, and c molecules strengthen the possibility that although these leukemic cells express the CD3-TcR complex at their cell surface, their normal counterparts are not found in peripheral blood.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antigens, CD / immunology*
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Cell Membrane / ultrastructure
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Leukemia / immunology*
  • Leukemia / metabolism
  • Leukemia / pathology
  • Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / immunology*
  • Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / metabolism
  • Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / pathology
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / immunology*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antigens, CD
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell