CD38 Expression by Circulating and Skin-Infiltrating Lymphocytes from Sezary Syndrome Patients: A Flow Cytometry and Immunohistochemistry Study

Background. Reports on the expression of CD38 in Sezary syndrome (SS), erythrodermic primary cutaneous T cell lymphoma with leukemic involvement, are limited. The aim of the present study is the analysis of the expression of CD38 by skin-infiltrating mononuclear cells and circulating T lymphocytes in a cohort of SS patients. Methods. SS patients diagnosed since 1985 in our clinic were retrospectively analyzed for CD38 expression in biopsy and blood samples by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, respectively. Results. SS patients show a predominant CD38-negative phenotype on both skin and blood. A subgroup of patients was found expressing CD38 (12 cases) in either the skin (>25% cell infiltrate) or blood (CD4+CD38+ >50%), among whom 4 in the blood, 7 in the skin, and 1 in both blood and skin. Conclusion. The implications of these observations may be twofold: the relevance in basic science is related to a potential role in immune defense regulation, whilst in perspective CD38 may become a target for antibody therapy, considering the availability of different anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies.