T-cell leukemias with rearrangement of the gamma but not beta T-cell
receptor genes
L Foroni, E Matutes, J Foldi, R Morilla, T Rabbitts, L Luzzatto and D Catovsky
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
beta and gamma T cell receptor (TCR) gene configuration was studied in 12
patients with large granular lymphocyte T cell leukemia (LGL- leukemia).
Both genes were found rearranged in ten cases. In the remaining two
patients TCR beta was found in germline configuration. In one of them
rearrangement of T cell-rearranging gene gamma (TRG gamma) and a gamma mRNA
were demonstrated. We suggest that in this patient the leukemic T cells
arose from one of the rare T cells bearing a gamma- delta rather than an
alpha-beta TCR heterodimeric molecule. In the other patient several
discrete TRG gamma rearrangements were detected. Because her leukemic cells
were shown to be monoclonal on the grounds of their karyotype, we suggest
that her leukemia originated before any rearrangement had taken place. The
combined use of TCR beta and TRG gamma probes provides new information on
the origin and clonal expansion of lymphoid cells in LGL-leukemia.
Volume 71,
Issue 2,
pp. 356-362,
02/01/1988
Copyright © 1988 by The American Society of Hematology
