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Naïve/memory T‐cell phenotypes in leukemic cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma: Putative cell of origin overlaps disease classification
Author(s) -
Horna Pedro,
Moscinski Lynn C.,
Sokol Lubomir,
Shao Haipeng
Publication year - 2019
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.21738
Subject(s) - phenotype , mycosis fungoides , flow cytometry , lymphoma , peripheral t cell lymphoma , t cell , memory t cell , naive t cell , cell , cutaneous t cell lymphoma , immunology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system , t cell receptor , genetics , gene
Background Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary Syndrome (SS) are clinically distinct cutaneous T‐cell lymphomas with strikingly similar morphologic and phenotypic features. Prior studies have suggested phenotypic differences based on markers of antigen experience, suggesting a different cell of origin. Methods Seventy‐nine involved peripheral blood or bone marrow samples from 33 patients with SS and 19 patients with MF were studied by 10‐color flow cytometry, including CD62L, CD45RA, CCR4, and PD‐1. Gated tumor events were classified as naïve ( T N ), central memory ( T CM ), effector memory ( T EM ), or effector memory with reacquired CD45RA ( T EMRA ); based on CD62L + /CD45RA + , CD62L + /CD45RA − , CD62L − /CD45RA − , or CD62L − /CD45RA + phenotype, respectively. Sequential specimens were compared to assess for phenotypic stability. Results The naïve/memory phenotype of the neoplastic T‐cells was markedly heterogeneous, with a dominant T N , T CM , T EM , or T EMRA subset on 11 (14%), 32 (41%), 30 (38%), and 6 (8%) cases, respectively. There was no correlation between the diagnosis of MF or SS and putative cell of origin ( P = 0.4). Overexpression of CCR4 and PD1 was observed in most cases, with higher intensity in SS compared to MF. The naïve/memory phenotype remained the same for 10 patients up to 273 days after the initial analysis; while on six patients, the naïve/memory phenotype was different from the original phenotype. Conclusions Both SS and MF can have phenotypic features of any of the major naïve/memory T‐cell subsets, which questions the current principle of “cell‐of‐origin” distinction between SS and MF. Phenotypic shifts within these subsets are common, suggesting a functional state rather than a cell‐of‐origin surrogate. © 2018 International Clinical Cytometry Society