Immunophenotypic and molecular genetic characterization of a case of CD8+ B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
We report the case of a patient with chronic B lymphocytic leukemia, with stable clinical and hematological conditions in the absence of any treatment. The flow cytometry analysis of the patient's cells revealed a CD19+, CD5+, IgM+, IgD+, lambda chain-phenotype, along with an unusual expression of CD8 alpha/alpha homodimer. B cells did not stain with the anti CD8 beta monoclonal antibody T8/2T8 5H7. Molecular biology analyses confirmed the monoclonal rearrangements of immunoglobulin heavy and lambda light chain genes in the presence of a germline configuration of T cell receptor genes. Moreover, an abnormal configuration of the CD8A gene was found in the CD8+B lymphocytic clone. We suggest that the aberrant expression of the CD8 gene could be related to its abnormal configuration.
Attadia
V
V
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Virology, Udine University, Italy.
Alosi
M
M
Improta
S
S
Baccarani
M
M
De Paoli
P
P
D001483:Base Sequence; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm