Functional and multimarker analysis of T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

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Abstract
The morphology, immunophenotype, cytoenzymatic and functional activities of T lymphocytes from 4 patients with chronic lymphoproliferative disease of T-cell origin were studied. Clonal proliferation was demonstrated by distinctive chromosomal abnormalities involving chromosomes 2 and 14. Patients 1 and 2 were classifiable as OKT4+ T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (T-CLL) and patient 3 as OKT4+/OKT8+ T-CLL, with helper function in vitro only in patient 1. Patient 4 has low-grade lymphocytosis with benign clinical course, with cells showing morphology of large granular lymphocytes (LGL), and immunophenotype HNK-1+, ER+, Fc.gamma. receptor+, OKT3+, OKT11+ and OKT8+ as well as natural killer activity, radiosensitive suppressor activity on Ig secretion and responsiveness to PHA; this case was interpreted as LGL leukemia. A large proportion of cases of true T-CLL may belong to the OKT4 subset. Extensive investigations should be made of the lymphocytic OKT8+/T.gamma. forms to characterize them precisely.