Immunohistological reactivity pattern of the anti-cutaneous T-cell lymphoma antibody BE2

It has been reported that the monoclonal antibody BE2, raised against leukaemic T cells, reacts specifically with malignant lymphoid cells and represents a valuable reagent for the early identification of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. To test this hypothesis, a comprehensive range of nodal and cutaneous biopsies have been examined immunohistologically using single and double immunoenzymatic and immunofluorescent staining methods. BE2 showed a broad range of reactivity, consistently labelling normal endothelial cells, B-lymphocytes in mantle and marginal zones, T-lymphocytes in the paracortex of lymph nodes and medulla of thymus, as well as a variety of different macrophage types, including Langerhans cells and dermal macrophages. Furthermore, although BE2-positive T-lymphocytes were most frequent in malignant lymphomas, they were also found in four of 19 benign dermatoses. We conclude that BE2 is neither T-cell nor tumour-cell specific, and that use of this reagent on tissue sections is unlikely to improve the diagnosis of cutaneous lymphomas.     

Photosensitive dermatitis with actinic reticuloid syndrome: an immunohistological study of the cutaneous infiltrate

Cryostat sections of skin biopsies from five patients with chronic photosensitivity dermatitis with actinic reticuloid syndrome (PDAR) have been examined immunohistologically by the alkaline phosphatase:anti-alkaline phosphatase staining technique using a panel of 24 monoclonal antibodies against lymphoid cells and their subsets. The lymphoid infiltrates in all cases had an essentially identical cellular composition, containing a mixture of T-lymphocytes, T-cell accessory cells (Langerhans cells) and other types of HLA-DR positive dermal macrophages. In two patients there was an excess of T-helper/inducer cells relative to T-suppressor cells, while in the other three patients the numbers of T-cells in these two subsets were approximately equal. Many of the infiltrating T-cells expressed activation (HLA-DR, interleukin-2 receptor) or proliferation (the Ki67 nuclear antigen, transferrin receptor) associated markers. These data indicate that a T-cell immune response is operative in cutaneous PDAR lesions.     

Use of antibodies against the variable regions of the T-cell receptor α/β heterodimer for the study of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas

Recent studies have suggested that antibodies against the variable (V) regions of the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) may be used as markers for clonality and malignancy in T-cell infiltrates. We have investigated this by examining biopsy samples from 45 patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) for reactivity with seven antibodies against different V-gene families on the TCR alpha/beta heterodimer, i.e. ICI (V beta 5a), W112 (V beta 5b), OT145 (V beta 6a), 16G8 (V beta 8a), S511 (V beta 12a), F1 (V alpha 2a) and LC4 (alpha beta Va). Serial biopsies were available in 13 patients and a total of 62 samples were studied. The neoplastic cells in five cases were positive for either V beta 5 (one case), V beta 6 (one case), V beta 8 (two cases) or V beta 12 (one case). In the remaining 40 cases, no staining was seen of the neoplastic cells. These findings indicate that while antibodies against the TCR V-regions may be used as clonotypic markers for certain T-cell neoplasms, there is as yet not a sufficient number of anti-TCR V-region antibodies available for the routine diagnosis of these conditions.