Peripheral T-cell lymphoma with unique immunologic features

The autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) is an important immunoregulatory phenomenon in human immune disorders. The authors have determined the phenotype and assessed the response of malignant lymph node T-cells, from histologically and immunologically proven cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, in AMLR and allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and studied the secretion of lymphokines.

The proliferative response, tritiated 3H-thymidine incorporation assay, was used to determine the AMLR and allogeneic MLR of the responding T-cells. An interleukin-2 (IL-2)-dependent T-cell line (CTLL) was used for the production of IL-2 by phytohemagglutinin-stimulated T-cells in a cytotoxic assay. B-cell growth and differentiation factor activity of T-cells was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The AMLR of malignant lymph node T-cells was increased characteristically in 12 of the 14 lymphoma cases studied; however, that of the blood T-cells was decreased. The allogeneic MLR of the malignant lymph node T-cells and blood-purified T-cells of the eight cases investigated was decreased. Expression or deficiency of CD2 and CD3 antigens on malignant T-cells did not show any difference in the AMLR assay.

This study demonstrates an important tendency of malignant T-cells from patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma to proliferate in AMLR. The highly augmented AMLR but deficient allogeneic MLR observed in these malignant T-cells indicate that autologous recognitive events may play an important role in the immunopathogenesis of this human disease.