Re: Does CD2 equal CD3 plus CD16/56?

Dear Tristan, 
As you know, CD2 was used for identification of T cells in the pre-Kohler-Milstein era,
when the thymus dependent cells were detected by E-rosette formation with sheep RBC.
Although it was not known at that time that those RBC were bound by CD2.
If you read about CD2 now in most of textbooks or antibody catalogs you will find that it
is expressed on all T cells and most of NK cells (about 90%). Some of the sources also
will say that CD2 is expressed on a part of monocytes and B cells. So, your CD2 cells
(non-CD19 lymphocytes) will include T cells and unknown amounts of NK cells, i.e. the
result will be more than CD3, but less than CD3+CD16. You should decide whether such
level of approximation is acceptable for your aims and for the 21st Century.
Even if you could consider CD2 a combined marker of T and NK cells, still NK cells would
make a small and unknown part of the sum. So, I think if you are interested in NK cells
you should use CD16/56 markers, and if you are not interested in NK you can just use CD3
and know the exact number of T cells.
An option for the exact sum of T and NK cells (for example if you have only 2 fluorescent
channels for CD2 and CD19) could be adding CD3 and CD16 (or CD56) of the same color and
observe the sum in one channel, although it will still cost 2 antibodies.
Regards.
Vladislav Rozenkov, MD, PhD
-----Original Message-----
From: Kathy & Tristan Barnes <barton8@earthlink.net>
To: cyto-inbox
Sent: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 20:28:15 -0700
Subject: Does CD2 equal CD3 plus CD16/56?


Hello,
I am new to this email list and thought I would take three sentences to introduce myself
and my work before asking my first question!
My name is Tristan Barnes and I have degrees in Biochemistry from Bristol University,
England (B.Sc.) and Aberdeen University, Scotland (Ph.D.).
My continuing training in flow cytometry started at the National Jewish Medical and
Research Center, Denver, CO., where I studied Chronic Beryllium Disease, a condition in
which patients develop a cell mediated (Th1) immune response to airborne beryllium.
I am currently working on a project to develop technology for the measurement of
CD3+/CD4+ T cells in persons infected with HIV. Our goal is to develop a technology that
is both robust and cost effective such that it can be used on a routine basis in
third-world countries.
My question is this. We are considering the use of CD2 and CD19 to delineate the total
lymphocyte population. The more usual strategy is to use CD3, C16/CD56 and CD19. I would
very much appreciate any insight or experience on how well the measurement of CD2+ cells
might be expected to mimic the measurement of both CD3+ cells and CD3-/CD16+ or CD56+
cells.
Thank you for your time,
Tristan Barnes, Ph.D.
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