title: T cell receptor delta gene organization and expression in normal and leukemic natural killer cells.
abstract: In peripheral blood most NK activity is mediated by CD3- cells with large granular lymphocyte morphology which cannot be assigned to a specific hemopoietic lineage. In accordance with previous studies we have analyzed the organization of the TCR delta gene, which rearranges early in thymic ontogeny, in normal NK cells, and in granular lymphocytes proliferative disorders (GLPD), in an effort to further define their relationship to the T cell differentiation pathway and to identify a possible marker of clonality for CD3- GLPD. The alpha/delta locus was rearranged in five cases of CD3+ GLPD with a biallelic deletion of the C delta region, suggesting V-J alpha rearrangement, whereas CD3- GLPD and normal CD3- NK cells had the delta gene in germ-line configuration, but surprisingly expressed high levels of TCR delta-related mRNA. On the basis of this finding and of the presence of truncated TCR-beta and CD3-epsilon mRNA, we are led to speculate on a possible ontogenic relationship of NK cells to the T cell differentiation pathway at stages preceding TCR gene rearrangement.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Pediatrica Università di Milano, Ospedale S. Gerardo, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allavena
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bassan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barbui
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Champagne
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Minden
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rambaldi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mantovani
mesh_terms: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D017252:CD3 Complex; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D015342:DNA Probes; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015342:DNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta