Interesting NK population

Dear Flowers,

We came across this strange population in one of our patients and would
like to have more clarification. We routinely do BD TBNK Absolute counts
for getting T-cell, B-cell and NK absolute counts. We had a population
that was dim for CD16/56. Excluding that population resulted in a QC
failure for that sample. When this population was plotted against CD4
and CD8, we had clear subsets of CD4+CD8-, CD8+CD4- and CD4-CD8- ( There
were no CD8+CD4+ population). The same population was completely
negative for CD3. 

 In summary we have a population that is CD16/56dimCD3- and has subsets
expressing CD4 and CD8. Is this something that anyone has encountered
before? Please offer views. 

Any help in this regard will be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks,

Vijay Nandakumar, M.S.
Development,
Cellular and Molecular Immunology,
Mayo Clinic, 
Rochester, MN