Loss of CD7, independent of galectin-3 expression, implies a worse prognosis in adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
Loss of CD7 is characteristic of adult T-cell lymphoma/leukaemia (ATLL). Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is strongly induced in cultured human T lymphotropic virus-1-infected T lymphocytes, and may cause apoptosis through interaction with CD7. The aim was to investigate the clinical relevance of the Gal-3-CD7 pathway in ATLL.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemistry for Gal-3 and CD7 was performed on 22 cases of ATLL in the leukaemic phase. We found that the lymphoma cells were not necessarily Gal-3+, but Gal-3+ stromal cells could always be found. Independent of the status of Gal-3, there was an association of loss of CD7 with a worse prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that, by down-regulating CD7, ATLL cells could have escaped Gal-3-induced apoptosis to run a more aggressive clinical course.
Liu
Ting-Yun
TY
Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chen
Chien-Yuan
CY
Tien
Hwei-Fang
HF
Lin
Chung-Wu
CW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019011:Antigens, CD7 / Q000378:metabolism*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
D019011:Antigens, CD7; D037502:Galectin 3