Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: utility of antibodies to the variable regions of the human T-cell antigen receptor.
BACKGROUND
The clonotypic 90 kd Ti heterodimer of the human T-cell antigen receptor is composed of two distinct chains (alpha beta or rarely tau delta) that result from the recombination of variable (V), constant, joining, and, in the case of beta chains, additional diversity regions.


OBJECTIVE
The variable region expression of human cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) was studied.


METHODS
Biopsy specimens from 13 patients with CTCL (7 plaque, 3 tumor stage, 3 Sézary syndrome) were examined immunohistochemically by a panel of seven commercially available monoclonal V-region antibodies.


RESULTS
Two patients had significant anti-V-region staining. One patient with Sézary syndrome had two lesions, subjected to biopsy 4 months apart, that reacted with beta V5(a), a specificity previously documented by flow cytometry of leukemic cells. A patient with plaque-stage CTCL, negative for T-cell gene rearrangement by Southern blot, demonstrated reactivity with beta V5(c) largely limited to epidermotropic lymphocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
Panels of V-region antibodies should be useful reagents for diagnosis and follow-up of CTCL.
Hunt
S J
SJ
Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pennsylvania.
Charley
M R
MR
Jegasothy
B V
BV
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012751:Sezary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta