Surface antigenic phenotypes of human T-cell leukemia corresponding to those of post-thymic T cells

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Leukemic cells from eight adult patients with various types of T‐cell leukemias, including one patient with lymphosarcoma cell leukemia (T‐LSL), two patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (T‐CLL), and five patients with adult T‐cell leukemia (ATL), were analyzed for their surface antigenic phenotypes with a series of monoclonal antibodies directing to human T‐cell differentiation antigens. All of the leukemic T cells studied were regarded as being of post‐thymic T‐cell origin because of their ability to form rosettes with sheep red cells under the condition at 4oC but not 37oC as well as the expression of human Ly‐1‐like but not TL‐like antigen on their cell surfaces. By using monoclonal antibodies to a variety of human T‐cell antigens (Leu‐1, Leu‐2a, and Leu‐3a), all eight cases could be divided into either group of three distinct categories. Thus, one patient with T‐LSL had cells with Leu‐1+2a+3a+ phenotype, which might reflect possible post‐thymic precursor T cells, whereas one patient with T‐CLL had cells with the same phenotype (Leu‐1+2a+3a‐) as normal cytotoxic/suppressor T cells. The latter cells also expressed Ia antigens as defined by monoclonal antihuman Ia antibody. The remaining six cases, including one T‐CLL and five ATL patients, had leukemic cells with the same phenotype (Leu‐1+2a‐3a+) as normally found on helper/inducer T cells, despite distinct clinical and immunological features between T‐CLL and ATL. Some clinical findings observed in those patients may reflect functional activities retained by their leukemic T cells.