Expression of GD3 disialoganglioside antigen on peripheral T-lymphocytes in patients with disseminated malignant melanoma

Abstract Disialoganglioside antigens GD2 and GD3 are expressed on most melanoma cells. On melanoma surrounding T-cells in immunohostological sections, disialogangliosides can also be found, as well as in a small % of T-lymphocytes in peripheral blood from healthy persons. In order to find out if there is a difference in ganglioside expression on peripheral T-lymphocytes between melanoma patients and healthy persons, we examined the expression of CD3 as T-lymphocytic antigen and GD2 or GD3 antigens, respectively, by flow cytometry. We used peripheral mononuclear blood cells of 12 patients with advanced disseminated malignant melanoma and of 12 healthy control donors. For immunostaining, murine monoclonal antibodies Leu-4, 14G2a and MB3.6 were used, recognizing CD3, GD2 and GD3. GD2 expression was found on only a low proportion of T-lymphocytes in patients and healthy persons (pat.: mean = 1.2%± 0.7%, co.: mean = 0.4%± 0.4%). Disialoganglioside antigen GD3, however, could be demonstrated on an average of 8.4%± 4.6% of patients' and on 4.0%± 2.1% of healthy persons' T-cells. There is a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01) between the data of patients' and control group. We conclude that there is a correlation between advanced malignant melanoma and expression of GD3 antigen on patients' peripheral T-lymphocytes. The immunological relevance of our findings is discussed.