Proliferative pathways in CD1- CD3+ CD4+ CD8+ T-prolymphocytic leukemic
cells: analysis with monoclonal antibodies and cytokines
MC Turco, M De Felice, F Alfinito, A Lamberti, F Costanzo, M Giordano, V Martinelli, B Rotoli, S Ferrone and S Venuta
Istituto di Oncologia Sperimentale e Clinica, Facolta di Medicina e
Chirurgia, Universita degli Studi di Reggio Calabria, Catanzaro, Italy.
The antigenic profile and the proliferative pathways in leukemic cells from
the patient TRT with T-prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) were analyzed using
monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) and cytokines. T-PLL cells expressed the
phenotype CD1- CD3+ CD4+ CD8+. Incubation with the differentiating agent
phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate markedly increased the percentage of cells
with the CD4- CD8+ phenotype, suggesting that leukemic cells were already
committed towards a differentiated element with the CD4- CD8+ phenotype.
T-PLL cells were induced to proliferate by anti-CD2 MoAb 9-1 + 9.6 and by
anti-CD3 MoAb OKT3. The two pathways exhibited normal functional
interactions and were susceptible to modulation by anti-HLA class I MoAbs.
These results indicate that regulation of cell proliferation was preserved
to a significant extent in the T-PLL cells analyzed. At variance with
normal resting T cells that require previous activation to proliferate when
incubated with interleukin-1 (IL-1) or interleukin-2 (IL-2), T-PLL cells
proliferated vigorously when incubated with either interleukin.
Furthermore, T-PLL cells proliferated when incubated with immune interferon
(IFN-gamma). The latter finding parallels the enhancement by IFN-gamma of
the proliferative response of lectin-activated murine T lymphocytes. These
results suggest that T-PLL cells, which express a high constitutive level
of c-myc mRNA, may be in an activated state. The antigenic phenotype and
the characteristics of the proliferative pathways of T-PLL cells from the
patient TRT are compatible with the possibility that they may be derived
from an intermediate thymocyte.
Volume 74,
Issue 5,
pp. 1651-1657,
10/01/1989
Copyright © 1989 by The American Society of Hematology
