title: CD3-negative, CD20-positive T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: We report a case of CD3-negative, CD20-positive T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL). The leukemic cells were of medium-to-large size, mature-looking, and did not have cytoplasmic granules. The leukemic cells were negative for surface CD3, CD2, and CD7 and strongly positive for CD20. T-cell lineage markers such as CD4, CD5, and cytoplasmic CD3 were also positive. A monoclonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor (TCR) beta chain gene was detected. CD3-negative T-PLL has been reported often, but CD20-positive T-PLL has not. We reviewed seven cases of CD20-positive immature and mature T-cell leukemias, including the present case. Three were immature T-cell leukemias (acute lymphoblastic leukemia), and four were mature T-cell leukemias (granular lymphocytic leukemia, small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia, adult T-cell leukemia, and the present case). Splenomegaly was a common feature. However, our case alone had "bright" CD20 expression on the leukemic cells. This is the first report of CD20(+) T-PLL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. tamayose@med.juntendo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamayose
authors.forename: Naotake
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oshimi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood*; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000097:blood*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015463:Leukemia, Prolymphocytic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D017252:CD3 Complex