Immunogold detection of CD3 and CD4 antigens in patients with Mycosis fungoides.

In this study, we analyzed the distribution of CD3 and CD4 antigens at the ultrastructural level in tissue samples from mycosis fungoides patients using double-immunogold labeling. We observed clusters composed of CD3 and CD4 antigens on the plasma membrane and intracellular. There were also clusters only of one type of the antigen and we could observe more often CD4 than CD3. Labeling of CD3 and CD4 was not found in control cells incubated with non-immune serum. In conclusion, our ultrastructural studies not only visualized pattern distribution and relationship between CD3 and CD4 antigens but might also suggest that the type and form of distribution provides new clues to their possible translocation in mycosis fungoides cells.