Abstract: Objects: To evaluate the significance of T-cell receptor(TCR) gene rearrangment(GR) in primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas(PCTCL) by detection of Southern blot analysis(SBA) and polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Methods: Clonal GR were simultaneously studied by the amplification of junctional V(variable)-J(joining) sequences of the rearranged TCR genes by PCR(TCR PCR) and the analysis of TCR-chain genes by SBA(TCR SBA). Results: In mycosis fungoides(MF), GR of skin specimens by TCR PCR and TCR SBA were detected in 5 and 4 of 6 patients with MFⅡA, 6 and 5 of 7 patients with MFⅡB respectively. Clonal GR were also seen in 4 and 1 of 7 cases, 7 and 1 of 10 cases in MFⅠA and MFⅠB respectively. GR of blood samples by PCR and SBA were present in 4 and 2 of 6 patients with MFⅡA, 5 and 3 of 7 patients with MFⅡB. GR was confirmed by TCR PCR and TCR SBA in one lymph node showing dermatopathic lymphadenopathy of one case with MFⅡA. In 11 patients of clinically suspected MF, GR were present in skin specimens of 5 cases and blood sample of 3 cases by TCR PCR. In non mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome PCTCL, GR were found in 9 skin specimens from 10 patients detected by TCR PCR and 6 skin specimens from 8 patients detected by TCR SBA. GR were also seen in 6 blood samples from 11 patients detected by TCR PCR and 9 blood samples from 10 patients by TCR SBA. In Sézary syndrome(SS) and lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP), TCR GR and TCR βGR were detected in skin specimens of two patients with LyP and blood samples of two patients with SS. GR were seen in one skin specimen of one patient with SS and one blood sample of one patient with LyP detected by TCR PCR. Conclusion: TCR PCR is a useful supplement to other methods for the diagnosis of early and suspected MF.

Key words: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, T-cell receptor gene rearrangement