title: Immunologic differentiation of the Sézary syndrome due to cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and chronic actinic dermatitis.
abstract: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from two well-defined groups of patients with the Sézary syndrome have been studied employing indirect immunofluorescent and indirect immunogold techniques in light and electron microscopy, using monoclonal antibodies against T-cell subpopulations. Four patients had chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) of the actinic reticuloid variant, with erythroderma. Eight patients had cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. All patients showed the clinical features of the Sézary syndrome, including erythroderma, palmoplantar hyperkeratosis, and peripheral lymphadenopathy, and in all patients significant numbers (0.5-30.5 X 10(9) cells/liter) of circulating mononuclear cells were observed with Sézary cell morphology on light-microscopic examination of blood films. Major differences were observed in the circulating T-cell subpopulations in the two groups. In the erythrodermic CAD patients, there was a moderately elevated T-cell count (1.6 +/- 0.6 X 10(9) cells/liter; normal, 1.0 +/- 0.3 X 10(9) cells/liter) of which the majority of the cells was suppressor T cells (OKT8+) giving a very low helper:suppressor T-cell ratio of 0.1:1-0.36:1 (normal, 1.7:1-3.5:1). In cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, there was also an elevation of the T-cell count (9.5 +/- 12.9 X 10(9) cells/liter), but in these patients the predominant cell was the helper T cell (OKT4+) with a high helper:suppressor T-cell ratio of 3.7:1-98:1.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012751:Sezary Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal