Double-negative (CD4- CD8-) T cells from adult T-cell leukemia patients
also have poor expression of the T-cell receptor alpha beta/CD3 complex
H Suzushima, N Asou, S Nishimura, K Nishikawa, JX Wang, T Okubo, M Naito, T Hattori and K Takatsuki
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Kumamoto University Medical School,
Japan.
We present four patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) derived from a
novel T-cell subset (CD4-, CD8- [double-negative, DN], T-cell receptor
[TCR] alpha beta+). In the ATL cells of these patients, neither gene nor
surface expression of CD4 and CD8 antigens was detected. Clinical and
laboratory data showed no difference between DN- ATL and CD4+ATL patients.
In contrast to typical CD4+ATL cells, DN-ATL cells were shown to express
the protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) for S100 beta in immunocytochemical
assay and the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. The
mean fluorescence intensity of the TCR/CD3 complex was extremely low in all
four DN-ATL patients as well as in typical CD4+ ATL. All four patients had
TCR beta and gamma chain gene rearrangements, with deletion of TCR delta
chain gene and mRNA expression for TCR alpha, beta, and CD3 delta but not
for TCR gamma and delta chain genes. Thus, CD4- CD8- TCR alpha beta T cells
are also a target for human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type I-induced
leukemogenesis. In addition, expression of the TCR alpha beta/CD3 complex
on the DN-ATL cells was further diminished by the addition of anti-CD3 or
anti-TCR alpha beta monoclonal antibody. These results suggest that the
decreased expression of the TCR alpha beta/CD3 complex by ATL cells plays a
key role in the development of ATL, irrespective of CD4 expression.
Volume 81,
Issue 4,
pp. 1032-1039,
02/15/1993
Copyright © 1993 by The American Society of Hematology
