Reactivity of T cells in mycosis fungoides exhibiting marked epidermotropism with the monoclonal antibody HML-1 that defines a membrane molecule on human mucosal lymphocytes.
Twenty-eight cases of cutaneous T cell lymphomas of mycosis fungoides type, 8 of which showed a marked epidermotropism, were investigated for their reactivity with the monoclonal antibody HML-1. This reagent selectively recognizes human benign and malignant intestinal T lymphocytes, but not benign or malignant lymph node T cells. In all cases, the majority of nonepithelium-associated T cells present in the corium were HML-1 negative. In the eight cases with marked epidermotropism, the intraepidermal (IED) T cells were HML-1 positive in three cases, and HML-1 negative in the remaining five cases. The HML-1 positive IED T cells tended to be localized preferentially in the basal layers, whereas the HML-1 negative IED T cells were more diffusely distributed throughout all epidermal cell layers or formed intra-epidermal aggregates. These findings provide further evidence that mycosis fungoides is not a single entity, but represents a group of neoplasms originating from different T cell subsets that have in common their tropism to epidermis and/or dermis, and thus have a similar clinical presentation.
Sperling
M
M
Institut für Pathologie, Klinikum Steglitz, Freie Universität Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany.
Kaudewitz
P
P
Braun-Falco
O
O
Stein
H
H
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation