title: Immunologic evaluation of T chronic lymphocyte leukemia cells: correlations among phenotype, functional activities, and morphology.
abstract: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia of T-cell origin (T-CLL), a rare variant of CLL, appears to be a clonal proliferation of mature T cells of one of several subsets. In the cells of 7 T-CLL patients, surface markers (including those reacting with a panel of monoclonal antibodies), functional activities, and electron microscopic morphology were evaluated. The phenotypic patterns of circulating T-CLL cells correspond to those of normal mature T-cell subsets. The cells of three patients demonstrated at least one marker reported to be expressed by suppressor/cytotoxic T cells: those of three patients expressed markers apparently linked with T-helper activity. Cells from one patient appeared to be a heterogeneous proliferation of more than one T-cell subset. These T-CLL cells may also retain some of the functional activity of the normal T subpopulations. Our data indicate that a combination of several tests should be used to characterize the proliferating cells in T-CLL.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000920:Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011961:Receptors, Fc