Abstract

The Leu-1 antigen has been defined by monoclonal antibodies (L17F12, T101, and OKT-1) as a pan-T-cell antigen present on all human peripheral blood T cells and thymocytes. Although originally thought to be confined to T-cell lineage, some cases of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia have been found to react with these antibodies. Using a frozen section immunoperoxidase staining technique, 125 lymphomas with B-cell differentiation were examined for the presence of Leu-1 antigen. Leu-1 antigen was detected in 4 of 11 cases of diffuse small lymphocytic lymphoma (Rappaport's DWDL) and 3 of 4 cases of diffuse intermediate lymphocytic lymphoma. Follicular lymphomas less often expressed this antigen--2 of 29 cases of the small cleaved cell type (Rappaport's NPDL), none of 13 cases of mixed small cleaved and large cell type (Rappaport's NM), and 1 of 6 cases of large cell type (Rappaport's NH). Diffuse lymphomas of presumed follicular center cell origin expressed this antigen infrequently as well--1 of 3 cases of the small cleaved cell type (Rappaport's DPDL), neither of 2 cases of mixed small cleaved and large cell type (Rappaport's DM), and 3 of 43 of large cell type (cleaved/noncleaved) (Rappaport's DH). Diffuse large cell, immunoblastic lymphoma of B-cell type expressed Leu-1 in 1 of 6 cases. None of the 3 cases of Burkitt's lymphoma or of the three small noncleaved non-Burkitt's lymphoma (Rappaport's undifferentiated) expressed detectable Leu-1. B-lymphoblastic lymphoma (1 case) and B-cell unclassified lymphoma (1 case) both failed to express detectable Leu-1. It appears that this pan-T-cell antigen is mainly found on those B-cell lymphomas composed predominantly of small lymphocytes. This finding may be of use in distinguishing extranodal neoplastic collections of small lymphocytes from lymphocytic hyperplasias.

View details for Web of Science ID A1983RQ20600005

View details for PubMedID 6605688

View details for PubMedCentralID PMC1916369