T-Cell receptor gene rearrangement in cells infiltrating skin eruptions specific to adult T-cell leukemia

Abstract We examined T-cell receptor gene rearrangement in skin lesions and peripheral blood from 6 patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) using the Southern blot method and a c β 1 probe. A rearrangement signal common to skin lesions of all 6 patients was observed. One patient (Case 4) exhibited another rearrangement signal in the skin lesion and an identical signal was detected in the peripheral blood. This is the first report describing a specific pattern of T-cell receptor gene rearrangement in ATL. The signal obtained is assumed to represent receptors of T cells involved in surveillance of HTLV-I infected T cells.