Research was carried out on neoplastic T-cells taken from 10 cases of Japanese adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) in regard to their immunoregulatory activity on pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-driven immunoglobulin (Ig) production and their differentiation antigens. ATL cells were reactive with OKT3,0KT4 and OKTll in most cases; however, the ATL cells from one case did not react with OKT11 nor formed E-rosettes. ATL cells of three cases were reactive with OKT8 as well as OKT4. In six cases, the ATL cells were reactive with OKT17 and coincidentally displayed suppressor activity on Ig production. The cells of the remaining four cases did not have such reactivity with OKT17 or suppressor activity. Moreover, the OKT17(+) ATL cells from one case sorted by FACS 440 demonstrated suppressor activity, while the OKT17(-) ATL cells did not. These results indicated that ATL cells with suppressor activity had OKT3(+), OKT4(+), OKT17(+) phenotype.
Cancer 57:732-736, 1986. ECENTLY EMPLOYED with Various mOnOClOna1 an-R tibodies against T-cell differentiation antigens, the T-cells can be divided into functional subsets such as helper/inducer, suppressor, and killer. Among the various monoclonal antibodies, OKT4/Leu3a reacts with helper T-cells, I OKT8/Leu2 with suppressor/killer T-cells,2 and OKT6 with thymic T-~ells,~ while OKT 1 1 recognizes with the receptor responsible for sheep red blood cell rosette f~rmation.~ A more precise analysis in regard to the origin of Tcell malignancy has become feasible through them. T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma in children belong to the various maturation stages of T-cell,' but few cases were reported to be functioning T-cell phenotype,6 whereas the more mature functioning T-cell leukemia and lymphoma are seen mainly in adults. The lymphoid malignant cells of these mature T-cell phenotypes fall under chronic T-cell leukemia,' SCzary syndrome, mycosis fungoides,* and Japanese adult T-cell leukemia.'
Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells usually show suppressor activity on pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-driven immunoglobulin production in vitro" in spite of their expression of OKT4/Leu3a antigens. However, there are From the