Blastic natural killer (NK) cell lymphoma is a rare neoplasm characterized by blastoid tumor cells expressing CD4 and CD56, with predominant skin involvement. Although this tumor has been regarded as a neoplasm related to NK cell, recent studies suggested that it is derived from plasmacytoid dendritic cells, but not from NK cell. Herein we report 4 cases of CD4+CD56+ lineage marker- blastic NK cell lymphomas with a review of literatures. The patients were 3 men and one woman. Three of them were young (17, 18, and 22 yr old). Three patients had skin lesions, at initial presentation in two patients and during the course of disease in other patient. Histologically, tumors consisted of monotonous medium to large blastoid cells showing no necrosis, angiocentric growth or epidermotrophism. All four tumors were CD4+ and CD56+. Three expressed CD68 antigen. Lineage specific markers for B- and T cell were negative. All tumors did not express myeloperoxidase. T-cell receptor gene rearrangement, EBV, CD13 and CD33 were negative. In one patient, tumor cells arranged in Homer-Wright type pseudorosette and expressed terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase(TdT). Despite the standard lymphoma chemotherapy, the tumors, except one lost during follow-up, progressed and relapsed. The patients died 8-60 months after diagnosis.
Adolescent ; Antigens, CD4/*analysis ; Antigens, CD56/*analysis ; Cell Lineage ; Female ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural/immunology/*pathology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell/immunology/*pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo characterize the phenotypic and biological properties of CD56(+) natural killer cells from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

METHODSSurface markers and intracellular cytotoxic molecules were stained with multi-color-labeled monoclonal antibodies and analyzed at the single cell level the relation between NK subsets and biological characteristics by flow cytometry.

RESULTSNK cells in PBMCs could be divided into two major populations, CD56(bright) and CD56(dim), based upon the expression of CD56 molecules. Both CD56(bright) and CD56(dim) expressed CD95 (Fas) with CD95(bright) and CD95(dim) subsets. CD56(dim) subsets had higher percentage of CD8, granzyme B and perforin expression compared to those of CD56(bright) subsets. In CD56(bright) and CD56(dim) subpopulations, CD95(bright) and CD8(+) subsets had higher percentage of granzyme B and perforin expression.

CONCLUSIONCD56(+) NK cells in PBMCs are composed of distinct subpopulations, CD56(dim) and CD56(dim) CD8(+) NK subsets have higher percentage of granzyme B and perforin and may play an important role in the killing of target cells.

CD56 Antigen ; metabolism ; CD8 Antigens ; metabolism ; Granzymes ; metabolism ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; classification ; immunology ; metabolism ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Perforin ; metabolism ; Phenotype ; fas Receptor ; metabolism

To investigate the immunophenotypic characteristics of multiple myeloma (MM) cells, 20 bone marrow samples from patients with multiple myeloma were analyzed by flow cytometry with three-color direct immunofluorescence staining. Results showed that all of myeloma cells expressed bright CD38, dim or negative CD45 and negative CD19. Most of the cells were CD56(+) and a small portions were ckappa(+) or clambda(+), or CD20(+). The phenotypes of normal plasmocyte, CD19(+) and CD56(-), except CD56(-) in one-third samples, were not appeared in all detected samples. It was concluded that the surface marker analysis of myeloma cells is a useful tool for diagnosis and further evaluating prognosis of multiple myeloma.
ADP-ribosyl Cyclase ; immunology ; ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; immunology ; Antigens, CD19 ; immunology ; Antigens, CD20 ; immunology ; Bone Marrow Cells ; immunology ; CD56 Antigen ; immunology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; immunology ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; immunology

The aim of study was to investigate the immunophenotype characteristics and prognosis of acute leukemia patients with cross-expressing lymphoid and myeloid lineage-associated antigens. The immunophenotypes of leukemic cells were examined by using flow cytometry. All patients were classified into several groups according to FAB subtypes and immunophenotyping. The cross-expressed antigens analyzed for AML included CD2, CD7, CD19, CD56 and other co-expressed lymphoid antigens. The myeloid antigens analyzed for ALL included CD13 and co-expressed CD13/CD33. ALL and AML patients without expression of cross-expressing antigens were selected as control. Complete remission (CR) ratio and relapse-free survival (RFS) of patients in all groups were compared. The results indicated that among 161 patients analyzed, 91 cases of AML with cross-expressing lymphoid and myeloid antigens included that 24 cases of AML expressed lymphoid surface marker-CD7, namely CD7(+) AML, 14 cases of AML only expressed lymphoid surface marker-CD19, namely CD19(+) AML, 8 cases of AML expressed lymphoid surface marker-CD2 (including CD2/CD19 co-expressed), namely CD2(+) AML, 10 cases of AML expressed lymphoid surface marker-CD56 (including CD56/CD19 or CD56/CD2 co-expressed), namely CD56(+) AML, 16 cases of AML expressed two or more lymphoid surface markers, namely Ly ≥ 2(+) AML, 9 cases of ALL expressed myeloid surface markers CD13, namely CD13(+) ALL, 10 cases of ALL expressed myeloid surface markers CD13 and CD33, namely CD13/CD33(+) ALL. 29 cases of ALL did not expressed myeloid surface markers, namely My(-) ALL, and 41 case of AML did not expressed lymphoid surface markers, namely Ly(-) AML. CR ratio and RFS of Ly ≥ 2(+) AML patients were lower than those of Ly(-) AML patients. RFS of CD56(+) AML patients was lower, but CR ratio had no significant difference, when compared with Ly(-) AML patients. CR ratio and RFS of other AML patients with cross-expressing antigens had no significant difference when compared with Ly(-) AML patients. CR ratio and RFS of CD13(+) ALL and CD13/CD33(+) ALL patients had no significant difference when compared with My(-) ALL patients. It is concluded that the importance of cross-expressing antigens for prognosis of patients should be analyzed concretely. CD56(+) AML and Ly ≥ 2(+) AML have bad prognosis, while other cross-expressed lymphoid and myeloid lineage-associated antigens have no impact on prognosis of acute leukemia patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, CD ; immunology ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; immunology ; CD13 Antigens ; immunology ; CD56 Antigen ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Infant ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; classification ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; classification ; immunology ; Prognosis ; Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3 ; Young Adult

To investigate the specific antileukemia effect of dendritic cells (DC) pulsed with chronic myelogenous leukemic lysate antigen (CLA), dendritic cells from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) were pulsed by CLA, and then cocultured with cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells from CML patients (CIK + CLA-DC group). The cytotoxic activity in vitro was measured by using a lactate dehydrogenase release assay, and compared with CIK + DC, CIK and CIK + CLA groups. The results showed that under an effector-target ratio of 25:1, the cytotoxic activity of CIK + CLA-DC, CIK + DC, CIK and CIK + CLA groups against autologous CML cells was (68.8 +/- 14.2)%, (52.5 +/- 9.4)%, (20.6 +/- 7.5)% and (24.2 +/- 8.7)%, respectively. CIK + CLA-DC group displayed a strongest cytotoxic activity. When K562 and Raji cells acted as target cells and CIK as effectors, the cytotoxic activity against autologous CML cells in CIK + CLA-DC group (68.8 +/- 14.2)% was much higher than that against K562 cells (14.6 +/- 6.2)% and Raji cells (12.7 +/- 10.2)%, respectively. In conclusion, coculture of CIK cells with DC led to a significant increase in cytotoxic activity. The cytotoxicity could be further increased by DC pulse with CML cell lysate antigen, and cytotoxicity mediated by CML lysate antigen possess stronger specificity.
Antigens, Neoplasm ; immunology ; CD3 Complex ; analysis ; CD4 Antigens ; analysis ; CD56 Antigen ; analysis ; CD8 Antigens ; analysis ; Cell Division ; immunology ; Coculture Techniques ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; K562 Cells ; Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated ; cytology ; immunology ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; immunology ; pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Umbilical cord blood stem cell transplantation (CBSCT) has made significant progress in treatment of lethal congenital or malignant disorders. Both the incidence and severity of GVHD from CBSCT were lower than that from bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, particularly for adult patients, but these advantages were also associated with higher rates of relapse. The immune-mediated effect of natural killer and cytotoxic T cells against residual tumor cells were shown to prevent relapse and to induce remission after bone marrow transplantation. To explore possibility of ex vivo expansion of T, NK and CD34(+) cells from umbilical cord blood, cord blood was expanded ex vivo with different combinations of cytokines, T and NK cells proliferation and differentiation were observed. CB MNCs were separated in Ficoll-Isopaque column and cultured in IMDM for 14 days with different recombinant cytokines. Cultured cells were collected and analyzed for progenitor/stem cell immunophenotyping at day 0, 3, 7, and 14 by using flow cytometry. The results indicated that all test groups cultured with different combinations of SCF, IL-3, IL-6, IL-7, IL-2 showed significant expansion of UCB MNC, compared with the group without cytokines. All test groups showed expansion effects on CD34(+) cells, CD34(+) percentage went up from 1.6% in fresh CB to the highest 11.9% in group D (SCF + IL-3, IL-6, IL-2). The CD34(+) cells peak displayed at day 7 of culture in group A and D, while in other two groups B and C appeared at day 14 of culture. The expansion multiple of CD34(+) cells in all test groups at day 7 of culture were from 10 to 50. The average value of CD3(+) T cell in fresh UCB was 18.7 +/- 4.3%, the CD3(+) T cells decreased sharply in the medium without any interleukin, while obvious increase were observed in the other test groups containing different combinations of cytokines. The maximal expansion multiple of CD3(+) T cells reached 2 times of the fresh UCB level. CD56(+) cells amounted to 3.6 +/- 1.9% of fresh UCB, CD56(+) cell number increased significantly only in medium containing IL-2. It is concluded that T cells, NK cells as well as stem/progenitor cells can be expanded in the same time from CB-MNC with the combinations of cytokines.
Antigens, CD34 ; immunology ; CD3 Complex ; immunology ; CD56 Antigen ; immunology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; immunology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-3 ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-6 ; pharmacology ; Killer Cells, Natural ; cytology ; immunology ; Stem Cell Factor ; pharmacology ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo explore the diagnostic implication of immunophenotyping and gene rearrangement in subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTL).

METHODSAccording to the selection criteria of 2005 WHO-EORTC classification for cutaneous lymphomas, 20 SPTL patients were enrolled in this study. A 10-antibody panel was used for immunophenotyping and in addition, polymerase chain reaction for TCR gamma and IgH gene rearrangement and in situ hybridization for EBER1/2 were also employed.

RESULTSThere were 9 males and 11 female with a mean age of 29.5 years. Immunophenotypic study showed that all the patients expressed one to three T-cell associated antigens (CD2, CD3 or CD45RO), 18 patients were positive for beta F1, 18 for CD8, 20 for TIA-1 and 16 for granzyme B. None of the patients expressed CD4, CD20 and CD56. TCR gamma gene rearrangement was found in 16 of 20 cases (80.0%) and none for IgH gene rearrangement. The positive rate of EBER1/2 was 25.0% (5/20).

CONCLUSIONSSince the majority of SPTL patients show clonal TCR gene rearrangements, correlations among clinical presentation, histological features, immunophenotype and gene rearrangement data are considered important in confirming a diagnosis of SPTL.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antigens, CD20 ; immunology ; CD56 Antigen ; analysis ; immunology ; Child ; Female ; Gene Rearrangement ; genetics ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; methods ; In Situ Hybridization ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; classification ; diagnosis ; genetics ; immunology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous ; classification ; diagnosis ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Panniculitis ; RNA, Viral ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Skin Neoplasms ; immunology ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Aged ; Antigens, CD56/immunology ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine/complications/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; *Colon, Sigmoid ; Colonoscopy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/etiology/surgery ; Male ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Sigmoid Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo explore the immunophenotypic characteristics of CD7 and/or CD56 positive acute myeloid leukemic stem cells, and the relationship between minimal residual disease (MRD) and the leukemic stem cells (LSC).

METHODSThe immunophenotype of leukemia cells from 51 CD34+ CD38+ CD7+ and/or CD34+ CD38+ CD56+ acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients (exclude M3) at diagnosis was analyzed by using 4 - 6 panels of 4 color antibodies, and cells from 28 normal bone marrow (NBM) samples were served as control. The expression of CD7 and CD56 in the CD34+ CD38+ subpopulation was used as a leukemic cell marker for monitoring MRD of 53 samples from 26 CD7+ and (or) CD56+ patients.

RESULTSIn CD7+ and/or CD56+ AML patients at diagnosis, the average positivity of CD7 in CD34+ CD38+ subpopulation and CD34+ CD38- Lin- stem cells subpopulation was (77.39 +/- 20.71)% and (44.57 +/- 22.70)%, and that of CD56 was (56.71 +/- 32.56)% and (33.51 +/- 29.64)%, respectively, all significantly higher than that of NBM (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05). Compared with that of NBM, the expression of CD90 in AML patients was significantly lower in the CD34+ CD38- Lin- subpopulation (P < 0.01), the expression of CD123 was significantly higher than NBM (P < 0.01), and the expression of CD117 was no significant difference (P > 0.05). In follow up of CD7+ and (or) CD56+ patients, the expression rate of CD7 and (or) CD56 in the CD34+ CD38- Lin- subpopulation MRD+ group was significantly higher than that in the MRD- group. The actual rate for CD7 was 71% (15/21) and 16% (4/25) (P = 0.001), and its relative rate was 81% (17/ 21) and 24% (6/25) (P = 0.000), respectively. The actual rate of CD56 is 100% (4/4) and 12% (3/25) (P = 0.001), and its relative rate was 75% (3/4) and 20% (5/25) (P = 0.031), respectively. A high CD7+ CD34+ CD38- Lin- subpopulation frequency at diagnosis in CD7+ AML patients predicted a high frequency of positive MRD in later detection (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCD7 and CD56 are expressed on the stem cells in CD7+ and/or CD56+ AMLs and a high frequency of CD7 and CD56 in the CD34+ CD38- Lin- stem cell subpopulation predicts a high frequency of positive MRD in later detection.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, CD7 ; genetics ; CD56 Antigen ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm, Residual ; diagnosis ; genetics ; immunology ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; immunology ; Young Adult

Antigens, Surface ; analysis ; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; CD28 Antigens ; analysis ; CD56 Antigen ; analysis ; HIV Infections ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Lectins, C-Type ; analysis ; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B ; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D ; analysis ; Receptors, Immunologic ; analysis ; Receptors, KIR