Large Granular Lymphocyte Infiltration in the Bone Marrow in Children and Young Adults May Suggest Primary Immune Deficiency
Authors: Taskinen Mervi H , Mustjoki Satu , Jahnukainen Kirsi , Trotta Luca , Siitonen Timo , Hautala Timo , Zavialov Andrey , Heiskanen Kaarina , Haapaniemi Emma M , Saarela Janna , Seppänen Mikko 
Published: October 2019

Large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia is a group of rare lymphoproliferative disorders which involve inappropriate clonal expansion of either cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) or natural killer cells (NK). The usual age at onset is between 40 to 60 years. We here describe four very young patients showing LGL infiltration in the bone marrow (BM) and all diagnosed with primary immune deficiency.

Patient 1 is a 13-year old male who presented with gingivostomatitis, but no severe infections, autoimmune disease or allergies. He had persistent leukopenia (1.9x109/L), neutropenia (<0.05x109/L), thrombocytopenia (60-80x109/L) and mild anemia. The BM showed myeloid maturation arrest and infiltration of LGL cells with NK cell phenotype (CD3-, CD2+, CD16+, CD56-/+, CD57-, CD4-, CD8-) at 50% of the BM cellularity. In peripheral blood (PB) T, B and NK cell counts were normal. However, low levels of monocytes (0.09x109/L), normal levels of monocytoid (2.7x106/L) and low levels of plasmacytoid (0.1x106/L) dendritic cells (DC) were detected. While germline whole exome sequencing (WES) did not identify mutations likely to cause the disease, targeted sequencing of GATA2 mRNA showed uniallelic GATA2 expression, confirming haploinsufficiency.

Patient 2 is a 15-year old female who has neonatal diabetes, autoimmune desquamative interstitial pulmonary disease, autoimmune enteropathy, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and delayed growth. She developed transfusion-dependent, Coombs-negative anemia at age of 15. In the PB, 50% of the lymphocytes were LGLs. BM showed pure red cell aplasia plus LGL infiltration of TCRgd positive T cells (CD3+, CD2+, CD5+, CD8-/+, CD4-/+, CD57+) at 43% of BM cellularity. Clonal TCRg rearrangement was detected. Hypogammaglobulinemia presented at age of 7. T, B and NK cell counts were low normal, but DCs were non-existent. WES and functional studies revealed a germline gain-of-function mutation of STAT3 gene.

Patient 3 is 42-year old female who has had severe infections (bacterial, viral and protozoan) starting at the age of 4 months. From age of 9, autoimmune manifestations occurred with immune thrombocytopenia, neutropenia and anemia, and intensively positive rheumatoid factor. Since age of 17, CD8+ LGLs were detected in PB reaching level of 50% of lymphocytes. In the BM, CD3+CD5-CD56- T -lymphocyte infiltration with clonal TCRd rearrangement was detected. In her 30ies she developed pulmonal arterial hypertension and hypogammaglobulinemia (0.8 g/L). She has low counts of B cells (0.02x109/L), and monocytoid (1.9x106/L) and plasmacytoid (0) DCs. WES identified a homozygous germline missense mutation in CECR1 gene, leading to total loss-of-function of the encoded adenosine deaminase 2 (ADA2) protein.

Patient 4 presented with waxing and waning skin nodules from age of 10 years, but no severe infections or allergies. At age of 26, she was diagnosed with hemolytic anemia with spherocytosis, splenomegaly and cholelithiasis. Five years later remarkable hepatomegaly, and clinical autoimmune manifestations with SLE-type skin lesions, autoimmune hemolytic anemia and iritis were observed. Complement C3 (0.17 g/l) and C4 (<0.02 g/L) and NK cell (0.081) levels were low, but CD3, CD8 and CD4 counts and IgM and IgG levels were increased. T-cell infiltration was shown in the skin nodules and liver. BM showed mildly decreased myelo- and erythropoiesis and T cell infiltration (CD3+, CD8+, CD7+, CD45RO+, BCL2+, CD56-) up to 70% of the BM cellularity consistent with LGL infiltration. WES identified the same germline missense mutation in CECR1 gene as seen in patient 3, and a functional analysis showed no ADA2 activity.

We conclude that LGL lymphoproliferation in young patients is often a sign of underlying primary immunodeficiency, highlighting the need for detailed genetic studies in these cases.

Table 1. Patient Age at LGL LGL in PB(109/L) LGL immune-phenotype Clonality BM LGL infiltration Clinical PID 1 13 0.38 NK NA 40% N,THepatomegaly GATA2 deficiency 2 15 1.79 CTL TCRg 43% AutoimmunityAHepatosplenomegaly STAT3 hyperactivation 3 17 1,49 CTL TCRd NA N,T, AAutoimmunityPulmonary arterial hypertension ADA2 deficiency 4 31 NA CTL TCRg weak 40% AutoimmunityHepatosplenomegalyHepatopulmonal syndrome ADA2 deficiency

A, anemia; N, neutropenia, CTL, cytotoxic T cell; LGL, large granular lymphocyte; NK, natural killer cell; PID, primary immune deficiency; TCR, T cell receptor; T, thrombocytopenia

Disclosures

Mustjoki: Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation: Research Funding; Finnish Cancer Institute: Research Funding; Sigrid Juselius Foundation: Research Funding; Academy of Finland: Research Funding; the Finnish Cancer Societies: Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding. Siitonen:Pzizer: Other: charges of EAHAD congress 2015; Novartis: Other: charges of EHA congress 2015. Saarela:Roche: Honoraria.