CLONAL EXPANSION OF LYMPHOCYTES BEARING THE GAMMA-DELTA-T-CELL RECEPTOR IN A PATIENT WITH LARGE GRANULAR LYMPHOCYTE DISORDER

  • 1 July 1989
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 74  (1) , 285-290
Abstract
Repeated analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from a patient with large granular lymphocytosis, neutropenia, and rheumatoid arthritis revealed that .apprx. 45% of PBLs displayed the following phenotype: CD3+, CD4-, CD8-, CD16+, HNK-1-, WT31-. This population was purified for further analysis by depletion with anti-CD4 and anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs). Southern blot analysis showed preferential rearrangements of the V.gamma.9 genes. Northern blot demonstrated the presence of V.gamma.9 mRNA transcripts. With MoAbs directed against either the V.gamma.9 peptide (Ti.gamma.A) or the .delta. chain of the .gamma..delta. T-cell receptor (TCR.delta.1), we further demonstrated that those cell surfaces expressed both V.gamma.9 and a .delta. gene product. In addition, analysis of the .gamma. gene rearrangements on six clones derived from this population demonstrated a unique rearrangement on a single chromosome, strongly suggesting the monoclonality of this T-cell population. Significant cytotoxic activity against K562, U937 was observed only after an in vitro culture period with interleukin-2 (Il-2), whereas no specific inhibitory effect on autologous bone marrow (BM) CFU-G was noted.