title: T/B ratio does not reflect levels of ZAP70 expression in clonal CLL B-cells due to ZAP70 overexpression in patient T-cells.
abstract: Flow cytometry is the reference technique for assessing ZAP70 expression, a marker of poor prognosis in CLL. One of the most common methods is to assess ZAP70 levels in CLL cells by calculating the ratio between ZAP70 mean fluorescence intensities (MFIs) in residual T-cells and CLL B-cells (ZAP70 T/B ratio). In this study, we developed a new method for ZAP70 labeling. Cells were labeled with a combination of anti ZAP70 phycoerythrin-conjugated SBZAP monoclonal antibody (mAb) and mAbs against CD45, CD19, and CD5. The latter three were used to specifically gate on different lymphocyte subsets. Staining was performed in absence (test) or in presence of excess unconjugated SBZAP mAb (isoclonic control). A so-called ZAP70 isoclonic ratio between SBZAP MFIs in the test and isoclonic control was calculated. A series of 32 patients with CLL and 10 normal controls were studied. Prediction of IGHV mutation status by ZAP70 isoclonic and T/B ratios was similar. By using the ZAP70 isoclonic ratio, we showed that ZAP70 expression was increased in T-cells from CLL patients. Nearly all cases with increased ZAP70 expression in CLL cells were associated with high ZAP70 expression in cognate T-cells. Therefore, the ZAP70 isoclonic ratio was more likely to closely reflect the biology of ZAP70 dysregulation rather than the T/B ratio. These results also explained why ZAP70 T/B ratios were artefactually close to normal in cells from CLL patients with high levels of ZAP70.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Laboratory of Haematology, University Hospital Dupuytren, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bouvier
authors.forename: Ibtissam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Youlyouz-Marfak
authors.forename: Estelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guerin
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trimoreau
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bordessoule
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaccard
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gachard
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feuillard
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019138:Antibodies, Blocking; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018956:CD5 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010799:Phycoerythrin; D011379:Prognosis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D019138:Antibodies, Blocking; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018941:Antigens, CD19; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D010799:Phycoerythrin; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; C497261:ZAP70 protein, human; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens