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Clonal expansion of γδ-T lymphocytes in an HTLV-I carrier, associated with chronic neutropenia and rheumatoid arthritis

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 We report on an HTLV-I carrier showing clonal proliferation of γδ-T lymphocytes associated with chronic neutropenia and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A 75-year-old Japanese woman had a 20-year history of RA and was found to have neutropenia and lymphocytosis by routine examinations. Her white cell count was 5,800/μl with 89% lymphocytes. The proliferating γδ-lymphocytes did not show the typical morphology of large granular lymphocytes (LGL) and were positive for CD3, TCRδ1, and HLA-DR but negative for CD4, CD8, and δTCS1. Clonally rearranged TCRγ-chain (Jγ) and TCRβ-chain (Cβ1) genes were detected by Southern blot analysis. Clonality of these proliferating γδ-T cells was confirmed by CDR3 size analysis for the TCRδ-chain. Anti-HTLV-I antibody was positive and the pX region of HTLV-I proviral DNA was detected by PCR analysis, but clonal integration of HTLV-I proviral DNA was not detected by Southern blotting analysis. The patient's clinical course has been stable, except for infrequent infectious episodes. The association of HTLV-I/II infection with T-LGL leukemia has been reported by several groups, although most cases exhibit TCRαβ+ type T cells. Analysis of the junctional sequence of TCR on T-LGL leukemia cells may clarify the role of HTLV-I/II infection in clonal T-cell proliferation.

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Received: June 12, 1998 / Accepted: October 5, 1998

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Horiuchi, T., Hirokawa, M., Satoh, K. et al. Clonal expansion of γδ-T lymphocytes in an HTLV-I carrier, associated with chronic neutropenia and rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Hematol 78, 101–104 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002770050483

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002770050483

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