[Analysis of lymphocytic clone formation after stem cell transplantation and immunological reconstitution by gene fingerprinting].

OBJECTIVE

To analyze T lymphocytic clone formation in patients with malignant disease after bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and to understand the relationship between immunological reconstitution and clinic remission.

METHODS

Due to the different TCRgamma gene rearrangements in different gamma/delta T cell clones, a gene fingerprinting was set up by PCR and denatured gel electrophoresis. The gene fingerprinting was used to analyze the gamma-delta T cell clone variations in 8 patients who received stem transplantation. In order to identify the source of the regenerated lymphocytes, the polymorphism of microsatellite was used at mean time.

RESULTS

After PCR amplification and electrophoresis of each TCRgammaV region gene on a 60 cm sequence gel, a gene fingerprinting composed of about a hundred bands was set up. It showed the basic distribution of the dominant gamma/delta T cell clones in the body. Usually, a new band presenting after transplantation represented an expansive lymphocytic clone. Successful immunological reconstitution led to a good prognosis; and unsuccessful immunological reconstitution led to bad prognosis. After transplantation, some T cell clones expanded. Comparing the sequences of a expansive T cell clone in a multiple myeloma patient after auto-stem cell transplantation with 230 000 genes of immunoglobulin and T cell receptor in GeneBank, we found that two T cell line had homogenous sequences. Both T cell clones recognized homogeneous antigen.

CONCLUSION

A new method to observe the distribution of gamma/delta T cells called gene fingerprinting was set up. Gene fingerprinting is useful in the analysis of immunological reconstitution after stem cells transplantation. The effect of transplantation is correlated to immunological reconstitution. Transplantation patients may appear some expansive T cell clones; probably they have anti - tumor effect.