Methods for diagnosing and treating cd1d restricted gamma/delta t cell lymphomas

A method of detecting CD1d-restricted γ/δ T cell lymphoma in a subject with a T cell lymphoma, the method comprising:

• isolating γ/δ T cells from a T cell lymphoma sample taken from the subject;
• detecting whether CD1d-restricted γ/δ T cells are present in the T cell lymphoma sample by either:
• contacting the γ/δ T cells with a-galactosylceramide loaded onto CD1d and detecting binding between the γ/δ T cells with the a-galactosylceramide loaded onto CD1d, or
• contacting the γ/δ T cells with sulfatide loaded onto CD1d and detecting binding between the γ/δ T cells with the sulfatide loaded onto CD1d;
• and
• diagnosing the subject with CD1d-restricted γ/δ T cell lymphoma when binding of the a-galactosylceramide loaded onto CD1d with the γ/δ T cells is not detected or binding of the sulfatide loaded onto CD1d with the γ/δ T cells is detected.

A method of detecting CD1d-restricted γ/δ T cell lymphoma in a subject with a T cell lymphoma, the method comprising:

• isolating γ/δ T cells from the T cell lymphoma sample taken from the subject;
• and
• detecting whether CD1d-restricted γ/δ T cells are present in the T cell lymphoma sample by at least one of:
• contacting the γ/δ T cells with a first tetramer complex comprising a-galactosylceramide loaded onto a first CD1d tetramer and a first reporter molecule;
• washing the γ/δ T cells to remove unbound or non-specifically bound first tetramer complex;
• and unsuccessfully detecting the first reporter molecule on the washed γ/δ T cells, or
• contacting the γ/δ T cells with a second tetramer complex comprising sulfatide loaded onto a second CD1d tetramer and a second reporter molecule;
• washing the γ/δ T cells to remove unbound or non-specifically bound second tetramer complex;
• and detecting the second reporter molecule on the washed γ/δ T cells.