Pagetoid reticulosis, epidermotropic mycosis fungoides and mycosis fungoides: a disease spectrum.
Using a standard technique involving monoclonal antibodies against T-cell subsets, we have shown that almost all the infiltrating T-cells in the epidermis of a patient with Pagetoid reticulosis (PR), one with epidermotropic mycosis fungoides (EMF) and one with poikiloderma atrophicans vasculare (PAV), were OKT8 positive (presumed cytotoxic/suppressor) T-cells. The infiltrating T-cells in the epidermis of a patient with limited plaque stage mycosis fungoides (MF), however, were almost exclusively Leu 3a-positive (presumed helper/inducer) T-cells as is usually found in this condition. The keratinocytes in the patients with PR, EMF and PAV were HLA-DR-positive whilst those in the patient with MF were HLA-DR-negative. We consider these four diseases to be part of the spectrum of mycosis fungoides, the first three conditions representing the early or benign end of the spectrum.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000473:pathology*; D010145:Paget Disease, Extramammary / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal