Aberrant expression of T-plastin in Sezary cells.
Mycosis fungoides (MF) and its leukemic variant, Sezary syndrome (SS), are the most common cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, with a combined incidence of 0.36 of 100,000 person-years. Although thought to be closely related to mature T-helper cells, the true nature of the cancer cells in MF/SS is unknown. In addition, there is no known specific marker for MF/SS cancer cells, which can result in difficulties in the diagnosis and treatment. To identify MF/SS-specific markers, Sezary cancer cells were analyzed with a global genomic screening tool, the modified representational difference analysis. It was discovered that unlike T-helper cells from healthy individuals or patients with nonmalignant dermatoses, Sezary cells from most patients with Sezary syndrome aberrantly expressed T-plastin mRNA and protein. This is the first time T-plastin protein, a cytoplasmic protein regulating actin assembly and cellular motility, has been detected in the hematopoietic cells. Therefore, T-plastin has the potential to be a Sezary cell-specific marker valuable for diagnostic and treatment of Sezary syndrome.
Su
Ming-wan
MW
Chieng Genomics Centre, Laboratory of Predictive Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4E8 Canada.
Dorocicz
Irene
I
Dragowska
Wieslawa H
WH
Ho
Vincent
V
Li
Gang
G
Voss
Nicolas
N
Gascoyne
Randy
R
Zhou
Youwen
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012751:Sezary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C026742:plastin