T Cell Receptor δ-Chain Gene Rearrangement in a Novel Case of Adult NK Cell Leukemia

Abstract

Malignancies arising from natural killer (NK) cells are being increasingly recognized as distinct clinicopathological entities. We here report the characteristics of a peculiar case of NK-cell acute leukemia with unusual agranular morphology and rearrangement of the T-cell receptor (TCR) δ-chain gene.

Lymphoid Differentiation Pathways Can Be Traced by TCR δ Rearrangements

“…The most frequently rearranged TCR genes in B precursor leukemias are TCRG and TCRD (59 and 55%, respectively), followed by TCRB (35%) (4,5). TCRD rearrangements have been reported in NK leukemia (6). Frequent TCR rearrangements in B precursor leukemias led to several hypotheses linking the inadequate regulation of recombinase activity to the malignant process (4,(7)(8)(9).…”