Poorly expressed CD2 antigen on the leukemic cells of adult T-cell leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia of T-cell lineage.
Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (T-CLL) are hematologic neoplasms in differentiated stages of peripheral mature T cells. This is suggested by the presence of CD2 (E rosette receptor) and mature and/or pan-T cell membrane surface antigens on their leukemic cells. We recently encountered one patient with ATL and another with T-CLL; their leukemic cells poorly expressed CD2 antigens, but clinical presentation, morphology of the leukemic cells and other marker studies were characteristic of either ATL or CLL. The clinical significance of the poor expression of CD2 remains to be further studied. The two patients reported here died of severe complications 4 and 9 weeks after diagnosis. The poor expression of CD2 in the peripheral T cells in these neoplasms is likely to indicate an aggressive nature of the disease.
Tamura
K
K
Department of Internal Medicine, Miyazaki Prefectural Hospital, Japan.
Sagawa
K
K
Satoh
H
H
Torigoe
J
J
Kimura
N
N
Araki
Y
Y
Makino
S
S
D000368:Aged; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis*; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis*
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic