Heterogeneous TCR delta Vdelta2-Ddelta3 rearrangements and their relation to IgH and TCR gamma gene status in childhood B cell precursor leukaemias.
In this study we aimed to test the hypothesis that leukaemias with oligoclonal Vdelta2-Ddelta3 rearrangements are clonal at the IgH and TCRG gene status and that the oligoclonality is a poor prognostic marker. In ten leukaemias the individual Vdelta2-Ddelta3 rearrangements characterised different populations as deduced from single cell analysis and/or from densitometric differences of PCR products. Five of these leukaemias were clonal by the IgH and/or TCRG gene status. We therefore conclude that ALL is a clonal disease despite the presence of heterogeneous TCRD rearrangements. Our clinical data show that oligoclonality at the TCRD level does not represent an adverse prognostic factor.