ABSTRACT
T-cell large granular lymphocyte (T-LGL) leukaemia is characterized by a clonal proliferation of cytotoxic T cells and is frequently associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Sera from some LGL leukaemia patients react to a portion of the human T-cell leukaemia virus (HTLV-1/2) transmembrane envelope protein, BA21, although HTLV-1/2 infection is rare in LGL leukaemia patients. Here we show that family members, including spouses, of an LGL leukaemia patient had elevated LGL counts, BA21 reactivity and, additionally, recognition of HIV-1 gp41. Thus, both LGL leukaemia patients and clinically normal contacts sharing the same environment have evidence of exposure to a retrovirus.
Subject(s)
HIV Envelope Protein gp41 , HIV-1 , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 , Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 , Leukemia, Large Granular Lymphocytic , T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic , Female , HIV Envelope Protein gp41/blood , HIV Envelope Protein gp41/immunology , HIV-1/immunology , HIV-1/metabolism , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/immunology , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/metabolism , Human T-lymphotropic virus 2/immunology , Human T-lymphotropic virus 2/metabolism , Humans , Leukemia, Large Granular Lymphocytic/blood , Leukemia, Large Granular Lymphocytic/immunology , Male , T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/immunology , T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/metabolismABSTRACT
Large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia is characterized by clonal expansion of antigen-activated cytotoxic T cells (CTL). Patients frequently exhibit seroreactivity against a human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) epitope, BA21. Aplastic anemia, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and myelodysplastic syndrome are bone marrow failure diseases that can also be associated with similar aberrant CTL activation (LGL-BMF). We identified a BA21 peptide that was specifically reactive with LGL leukemia sera and found significantly elevated antibody reactivity against the same peptide in LGL-BMF sera. This finding of shared seroreactivity in LGL-BMF conditions and LGL leukemia suggests that these diseases might share a common pathogenesis.
