B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia with aberrant expression of CD8 antigen

Abstract

The monoclonal antibodies against CD8 (T suppressor/cytotoxic) antigen (Leu2/OKT8) were found to bind to leukaemic lymphocytes from a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The cells also had an unusual type of rod-like cytoplasmic immunoglobulin of IgM/lambda type as seen by light, fluorescence and electron microscopy, and displayed several antigens characteristic for B lymphocytes. Gene rearrangement analysis showed rearrangement of mu heavy chain gene. In spite of an expression of CD8 antigen, T-cell receptor genes were not rearranged.