VS38 staining contributes to a novel gating strategy in flow cytometry for small B cell lymphoma, especially in lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma/Waldenström macroglobulinemia

• Published in: Cytometry. Part B, Clinical cytometry Clinical cytometry, 2022-01, Vol.102 (1), p.50-61
• Main Authors: Mizuta, Shumpei, Yamane, Noriko, Mononobe, Saya, Watanabe, Asami, Matsuki, Shinichiro, Komai, Takao, Koba, Yusuke, Mitani, Sachiko, Kawata, Takahito, Tamekane, Akira, Watanabe, Mitsumasa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abnormalities; Adult; B cell lymphoma; CD27 antigen; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia; Flow Cytometry; Fluorescence; Gating; Humans; Immunological memory; Leukemia; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell - pathology; Lymphatic leukemia; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; Lymphoma; Lymphoma, B-Cell - diagnosis; Lymphoma, B-Cell - genetics; lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma; Macroglobulinemia; Mantle cell lymphoma; Memory cells; Multiple myeloma; multi‐parametric flow cytometry; Mutation; MyD88 protein; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 - genetics; Neoplasia; Neoplasms; Performance evaluation; Spleen; Staining; Staining and Labeling; VS38; Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia - diagnosis; Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia - genetics; Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia - pathology; Waldenström macroglobulinemia
• ISSN: 1552-4949; 1552-4957
• DOI: 10.1002/cyto.b.22000

Background Multi‐parametric flow cytometry (MFC) is a helpful tool for detecting neoplastic cells in malignant lymphoma; however, lymphoma cells can be difficult to detect when characteristic immunophenotypic abnormalities are not evident. We evaluated the stainability of VS38, which is used for multiple myeloma, in normal and abnormal B cells using MFC to develop a new strategy for detecting lymphoma cells. Methods We compared the median fluorescence intensity of VS38 staining in lymphocytes from patients without hematopoietic neoplasms and in B cells from 26 patients with B cell lymphoma (BCL). To evaluate the performance of VS38 gating, we compared VS38‐positive B cells with the percentages of BCL cells, and with the mutation ratios of MYD88 L265P measured by droplet digital PCR in patients with lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL)/Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM). Results CD27‐positive memory B cells were stained with VS38, whereas normal lymphocytes were faintly stained. Lymphoma cells were stained with VS38 in 11 of 12 patients with LPL/WM, 3 of 3 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 3 of 5 with mantle cell lymphoma, 2 of 4 with follicular lymphoma, and 1 of 1 with splenic marginal zone lymphoma. The percentages of VS38‐positive B cells in VS38‐positive BCL were equivalent to those of lymphoma cells and the mutation ratios of MYD88 L265P in LPL/WM. Conclusions VS38 identified neoplastic cells in plasma cell disorders and BCL. This might improve the accuracy of BCL diagnosis, especially in patients with LPL/WM.