Cutaneous T-cell Infiltrates: Analysis of T-cell Receptor y Gene Rearrangement by Polymerase Chain Reaction and Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

In cutaneous T-cell infiltrates, the demonstration of a clonal T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement has been consid-ered helpful t o distinguish Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas from reactive lymphoproliferation. Hence, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method using GC-clamp primers and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis has been developed in our laboratory t o analyze the TCRy locus configuration. Two hundred eleven cutaneous samples from 155 patients were analyzed. A detectable clonal TCRy rearrangement was significantly associated with cutaneous T-cell lymphomas as defined by morphologic and immunologic riteria. A clonal TCRy rearrangement was also detected frequently in lympho-matoid papulosis, never in reactive lymphocytic infiltrates and B-cell lymphomas, and rarely in parapsoriasis en plaque and cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia. Forty five patients ha