Antibodies to T cell antigen receptor beta chain families detect monoclonal T cell proliferation.

The T cell antigen receptor is constructed from independent gene segments much like those used to assemble immunoglobulin genes. One of the receptor's two protein subunits, the beta chain, uses a limited number of variable region segments. The product of these V region segments can be identified by monoclonal antibodies and can be used to define populations of normal T cells which use the same V beta (V beta) gene segment. These antibodies have been used to define monoclonality or its absence in T cell populations. Twenty-four cases have been studied (twenty with solid T cell lymphomas and four with T cell leukaemias). Two monoclonal antibodies to V beta (anti-HPB-A11 and anti-Jurkat) were tested, and three cases of T cell lymphoma were positive, two to anti-Jurkat and one to anti-HPB. The malignant nature of T cell proliferations can be directly diagnosed in tissue sections and intact cell suspensions. This approach should also make possible the monitoring of changes in malignant populations in response to therapy.