Open AccessA persistent T cell expansion in the peripheral blood of a normal adult male: a new clinical entity?
Author(s) -
GRUNEWALD J.,
JEDDITEHRANI M.,
DERSIMONIAN H.,
ANDERSSON R.,
WIGZELL H.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical & experimental immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1365-2249
pISSN - 0009-9104
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2249.1992.tb06945.x
Subject(s) - t cell receptor , monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance , cd8 , t cell , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , beta (programming language) , monoclonal antibody , monoclonal , t lymphocyte , immunology , cytotoxic t cell , antigen , immune system , antibody , in vitro , genetics , programming language , computer science
SUMMARY A dramatic and persistent T cell expansion in a healthy adult male was initially identified, using anti‐T cell receptor for antigen (TCR)‐specific MoAbs. The expanded T cells were found to be expressing TCR containing Vα 12.1 and V β 5.2, and they composed approximately one third of all the CD8 + T cells. The cells were shown to be not only non‐activated (HLA‐DR − , IL‐2R − ) but also of ‘virgin’ cell type (CD45RA + /CD45RO − ) and they persisted over the observation period of more than one and a half years. Various T and B cell markers, and all other laboratory and physical parameters analysed, were normal. The expanded CD8 + T cells were further characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, using Vβ‐ and Cβ‐specific primers, followed by hybridization with Jβ‐specific probes. Close to 90% of the Vα 12.1 + Vβ 5.2 + T cells were found to utilize the Jβ 2.5 gene segment, thus strongly suggesting the expanded T cells to be monoclonal. The condition may constitute a T cell counterpart to ‘monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance’ (MGUS), and by analogy we suggest it should be designated ‘monoclonal T cell expansion of undetermined significance’ (MTUS).