Flow cytometric immunophenotypic assessment of T-cell clonality by Vβ repertoire analysis: detection of T-cell clonality at diagnosis and monitoring of minimal residual disease following therapy

Am J Clin Pathol. 2011 Jun;135(6):890-900. doi: 10.1309/AJCPV2D1DDSGJDBW.

Abstract

Flow cytometric T-cell receptor (TCR)-V(β) repertoire analysis (TCR-V(β)-R) is a sensitive method for detection of T-cell clonality; however, no uniform approach exists to define clonality in neoplastic T cells. TCR-V(β)-R was evaluated in patients with a diagnosis of T-cell neoplasia in initial diagnostic specimens from 41 patients and for minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring in 61 sequential samples from 14 patients with mature T-cell neoplasia. Gating strategies and criteria for detection of T-cell clonality were determined. In all 41 initial specimens, T-cell clonality was demonstrated via TCR-V(β)-R. The frequency of V(β) usage was consistent with random neoplastic transformation of TCR-V(β) subsets. MRD was successfully detected in follow-up samples from all 14 patients evaluated, Furthermore, MRD after therapy was quantitated in 48 peripheral blood specimens. TCR-V(β)-R analysis is a sensitive method for detection of T-cell clonality and is useful for diagnosis and MRD detection in multiple specimen types.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Clone Cells / metabolism
  • Clone Cells / pathology
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry*
  • Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor
  • HTLV-I Infections / complications
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping / methods*
  • Leukemia, T-Cell / metabolism
  • Leukemia, T-Cell / pathology*
  • Leukemia, T-Cell / therapy
  • Leukemia, T-Cell / virology
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / pathology*
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / therapy
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / virology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm, Residual / blood
  • Neoplasm, Residual / diagnosis*
  • Neoplasm, Residual / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / blood*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta