ABSTRACT
Expression of common gamma chain (gammac) on monocytes was studied in five carriers of X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID) and two X-SCID patients who underwent cord blood stem cell transplantation (CBSCT). Flow cytometric analysis revealed that both gammac-negative and positive monocytes co-existed in X-SCID carriers, whereas no gammac-negative T, B or NK cells were observed in them. Clonal analysis and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction studies revealed that 13.2-45.0% of monocytes from these carriers expressed the mutant gammac message. X-SCID patients who received CBSCT persistently possessed the majority of gammac-negative monocytes with a good clinical course. These results, together, may indicate that gammac is not essential for monocyte development/function in vivo.
