Minimal residual disease detection by flow cytometry in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.
Little information exists regarding the detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). We evaluated 75 peripheral blood samples from 17 ATLL cases using flow cytometry (FC); 50 of the samples were concurrently evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for clonal T-cell receptor gamma chain (TRG) gene rearrangement and the presence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1 proviral sequences. Residual ATLL cells were identified using a multiparametric approach to identify aberrant T-cell immunophenotypes. Malignant T cells were CD4+, CD3 dim+, CD26-, CD25 bright, CD7+, and CD27+, with occasional dim expression of CD2 or CD5. FC exhibited a high sensitivity, detecting as few as 0.29% ATLL cells/WBC (4.9 cells/microL) in the peripheral blood. PCR for TRG gene rearrangement was slightly more sensitive, and FC and PCR complemented each other in detecting MRD. In 2 patients, there was complete remission; 4 patients had disease refractory to therapy, and 3 died; 11 others had persistent disease with variable numbers of ATLL cells in the peripheral blood. Higher levels of ATLL cells appeared to correlate with disease severity. FC detection of aberrant T cells permits sensitive and quantitative monitoring of MRD in ATLL.
Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Haipeng
H
Shao
Constance M
CM
Yuan
Liqiang
L
Xi
Mark
M
Raffeld
John C
JC
Morris
John E
JE
Janik
Maryalice
M
Stetler-Stevenson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D015703:Antigens, CD