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The utility of flow cytometry in differentiating NK/T cell lymphoma from indolent and reactive NK cell proliferations
Author(s) -
de Mel Sanjay,
Li Jenny Bei,
Abid Muhammad Bilal,
Tang Tiffany,
Tay Hui Ming,
Ting Wen Chang,
Poon Li Mei,
Chung Tae Hoon,
Mow Benjamin,
Tso Allison,
Ong Kiat Hoe,
Chng Wee Joo,
Liu Te Chih
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
cytometry part b: clinical cytometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1552-4957
pISSN - 1552-4949
DOI - 10.1002/cyto.b.21529
Subject(s) - cd16 , lymphoma , flow cytometry , natural killer cell , interleukin 21 , immunology , phenotype , immunophenotyping , lymphoproliferative disorders , pathology , biology , t cell lymphoma , medicine , antigen , cd3 , cytotoxic t cell , cd8 , in vitro , biochemistry , gene
Background The WHO defines three categories of NK cell malignancies; extra nodal NK/T cell lymphoma (NKTCL), aggressive NK cell leukemia, and the provisional entity chronic lymphoproliferative disorder of NK cells (CLPD‐NK). Although the flow cytometric (FC) phenotype of CLPD‐NK has been described, studies on FC phenotype of NKTCL are limited. To the best of our knowledge ours is the first study to compare the phenotype of NKTCL, CLPD‐NK, reactive NK lymphocytosis (RNKL), and normal NK cells using eight color (8C) FC. Methods Specimens analyzed using the Euroflow8C NK Lymphoproliferative Disorder (NKLPD) panel between 2011 and 2014 were identified from our database. All samples were analyzed on the FACSCantoII cytometer. NK cells were identified as CD45+, smCD3−, CD19−, CD56+ and normal T‐cells served as internal controls. Results The majority of NKTCL were CD56 bright, CD16 dim, CD57−, and CD94+. CLPD‐NK and RNKL were predominantly CD56+ or dim with positive expression of CD16 and CD57 and weak CD94 expression. Antigen based statistical analyses showed robust division of samples along the NKTCL/normal CD56 bright NK cell and CLPD‐NK/RNKL/normal CD56 positive NK cell groups. Conclusions It was concluded that FC can reliably distinguish NKTCL from CLPD‐NK, normal NK cells of CD56+ phenotype, and RNKL. It was proposed that the typical phenotype for NKTCL is: CD56 bright, CD16 dim with positive CD2, CD7, CD94, HLADR, CD25, CD26, and absent CD57. This resembles the phenotype of the CD56 bright immunoregulatory subset of NK cells which we therefore hypothesize is the cell of origin of NKTCL. © 2017 International Clinical Cytometry Society