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Evidence for origin of certain childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemias and lymphomas in thymus‐derived lymphocytes
Author(s) -
Kersey John,
Nesbit Mark,
Hallgren Helen,
Sabad Andrej,
Yunis Edmond,
GajlPeczalska Kazimiera
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197510)36:4<1348::aid-cncr2820360424>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - lymphoblast , lymphoblastic lymphoma , receptor , surface immunoglobulin , medicine , immunology , lymphoma , leukemia , lymphocyte , heterologous , lymphoblastic leukemia , antigen , antibody , t cell , biology , b cell , immune system , cell culture , genetics , gene
Lymphoblasts from children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or malignant lymphoblastic lymphoma were studied using surface markers characteristic of T and B lymphocytes. A B‐cell marker, i.e. surface immunoglobulin, was absent in all cases studied. Fourteen of 22 children (64%) had lymphoblasts with one or both markers of T lymphocytes, i.e. receptors for sheep erythrocytes (E) and/or human T‐lymphocyte antigen (HTLA) detectable using heterologous antithymocyte sera absorbed with B lymphocytes. In all instances, lymphoblasts which carried E receptors also carried HTLA. However, lymphoblasts in 6 cases carried HTLA but not E receptors. It is possible that ALL may often involve T lymphocytes which are early in differentiation (i.e. prior to development of E receptors) or, alternatively, that E receptors may be lost from T cells following malignant transformation. Thymus enlargement was found only in cases of ALL or lymphoma where T markers were present. Lymphoblasts carried the same markers when examined in various sites and at various times from the same patient.