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S Pittaluga, M Raffeld, EH Lipford and J Cossman
The phenotypes of early stages of T cell maturation are reflected by
precursor T (lymphoblastic) neoplasms. In the present study, a series of
such neoplasms was analyzed to reveal the developmental association of the
expression of stage-related cell surface markers and T cell receptor gene
rearrangement. Rearrangements of the T cell receptor beta- chain (T beta)
gene were found in most, but not all, cases (88%) of T cell lymphoblastic
neoplasms. T beta gene rearrangement preceded surface expression of the T
cell receptor-linked molecular complex T3. Of all monoclonal anti-T cell
antibodies tested, only antibody 3A1 was capable of reacting with
neoplastic cells from all cases irrespective of the occurrence of T cell
receptor gene rearrangements. In contrast, markers T1 and T11, normally
expressed by mature T cells, were absent from the neoplastic cells in many
cases (73% and 60% positive cases, respectively). Thus, antibody 3A1 is a
valuable probe for the identification of T lymphoblastic neoplasms since
its target antigen is consistently expressed and does not require prior T
beta gene rearrangement. Furthermore, expression of 3A1 prior to T beta
gene rearrangement suggests that it may be a cell surface protein that
participates in the triggering of T cell receptor gene rearrangement and
expression. It is concluded that precursor T cell neoplasms display an
early T cell development hierarchy that, in sequence, consists of 3A1
expression, T beta gene rearrangements, and surface T3 expression.
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