Leukemia of non-T lineage natural killer cells

An unusual case of an aggressive leukemia of natural killer (NK) cells occurred in a 65-year-old male. Clinical characteristics of this case included hepatosplenomegaly, ascites, marrow infiltrate with leukemic cells, and a WBC up to 82.8 X 10(9) before therapy. One year before his presentation he had been noted to have a WBC of 12.1 X 10(9) with 78% lymphocytes, and 6 months before had noted intermittent fever and weight loss. He and his brother had well documented hereditary cold urticaria. The patient was treated with a modification of ProMACE CYTABOM regimen and had prompt regression of the leukemia with associated acute tumor lysis. Renal, hepatic, and marrow failure predominated during a terminal course that ended 22 days after therapy was commenced, and at autopsy there was no evidence for leukemic cell infiltrate in the liver, spleen or marrow. The leukemic cells were large granular lymphocytes by light and electron microscopic criteria, and had the following immunophenotype: CD2+, DR+, Leu7+, NKH1+, CD11+, CD3-, CD5-, CD4-, CD8-, CD16-. The cells displayed high antibody- dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and NK activity, and had a high rate of spontaneous proliferation in vitro that was not augmented by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), or pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Southern analysis of DNA from leukemic cells revealed normal germline arrangements for the beta and gamma chains of the T cell antigen receptor and immunoglobulin heavy chain genes. The majority of metaphases were clonally abnormal revealing consistent rearrangements involving extra material attached to the long arms of chromosomes 5 and 11.