True small lymphocytic T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia lacking the CD3 molecule and TCR-alpha beta on its cell surface.
We report a case of T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (T-CLL) in which the lymphocytes were small and mature, did not have cytoplasmic granulation, and appeared to be similar to those of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Immunophenotyping of the lymphocytes revealed CD2+, CD4+, CD5+, and CD25+ on the cell surface, but expression of the CD3 and TCR-alpha beta molecules was localized only in the cytoplasm. The clinical course was as indolent as that of B-CLL, and the patient was able to undergo open-heart surgery. Thus, we confirmed that true T-CLL is able to exist as a counterpart of B-CLL.
Murakami
K
K
Department of General Medicine, Omiya Medical Center, Jichi Medical School, Saitama, Japan.
Taketazu
F
F
Ida
M
M
Ito
K
K
Yamazaki
I
I
Oshimi
K
K
Kanazawa
Y
Y
Kawakami
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015461:Leukemia, Prolymphocytic, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D017252:CD3 Complex; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta