Rearrangement for the T-cell receptor gene and co-expression of immature T-cell markers and natural killer cell phenotype, in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
We describe a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia whose blasts co-expressed immature T-cell markers and nearly the entire phenotypic repertoire of NK cells. The T-cell nature of the proliferating blasts was proven by the demonstration of the rearrangement for the beta-chain of the T-cell antigen receptor. Although an abnormal phenotypic expression related to the neoplastic proliferation cannot be formally excluded, it is possible that the cells in this patient may represent the clonal expansion of a normal subpopulation of T-cell lineage NK-related cells frozen at an early stage of differentiation. These features provide arguments for discussing the controversial issue of the ontogeny of NK cells and their relationship to the T-cell lineage.
D000208:Acute Disease; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000502:physiology*; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D004247:DNA