Establishment and characterization of a mouse strain (TLL) that spontaneously develops T-cell lymphomas/leukemia

In this study, a mouse strain (TLL) that spontaneously develops T-cell lymp homas/leukemia with an early onset and high incidence was established and c haracterized. All tumors analyzed were found to express the alpha,beta T-ce ll receptor, and the majority of them had a mature, CD3(+) CD4(+)CD8(-) imm unophenotype. In a fea cases, tumors with a more immature CD3(+)CD4(+)CD8() phenotype were isolated. Expanded phenotyping using a broad panel of lymp hocyte differentiation markers confirmed the mature T-cell phenotype of the tumors. Histologic and cell cycle analysis of the tumors revealed an aggre ssive lymphoblastic malignancy with a very high proliferation rate and wide spread engagement of bone marrow and lymphoid as well as nonlymphoid organs . Thus, the TLL mouse strain represents a unique model for the analysis of the oncogenesis and progression of mature T-cell tumors and for the develop ment of therapeutic measures to combat such tumors. (C) 1999 International Society for Experimental Hematology, Published by Elsevier Science Inc.