[A study on cellular differentiation and antigen receptor gene rearrangement in lymphoid malignancies]

Cellular differentiation origin and genotype of IgH and TCR gamma, delta gene rearrangement in 42 cases of lymphoid malignancies were studied by using immunoenzymatic method with monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique respectively. The results suggested that among the 23 cases, in which malignant cells expressed B-lineage cell surface markers, 20 showed IgH gene rearrangement and 11 had TCR gamma gene rearrangement and/or TCR delta gene deletion. All the 11 cases expressed T-lineage cell differentiation antigens were found to have TCR gamma and TCR delta gene rearrangement or deletion and only one had IgH gene rearrangement. Double rearrangement of IgH and TCR gamma genes were detected in all the 3 cases of T.B double-phenotype ALL. In the cases, in which malignant cells did not express any lineage specific antigens, 4/5 had TCR gamma gene rearrangement, but all failed in IgH gene rearrangement. The relation of cellular differentiation origin and rearrangement of antigen receptor genes with clinical manifestations was also discussed.