Expression of Human B Cell-Associated Antigens on Leukemias and Lymphomas: A Model of Human B Cell Differentiation

• Published in: Blood 1984-06, Vol.63 (6), p.1424-1433
• Main Authors: Anderson, Kenneth C., Bates, Michael P., Slaughenhoupt, Bruce L., Pinkus, Geraldine S., Schlossman, Stuart F., Nadler, Lee M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal - immunology; Antigens, Neoplasm - immunology; Antigens, Surface - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - cytology; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Differentiation; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Leukemia - immunology; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Lymphoma - immunology; Medical sciences; Phenotype
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V63.6.1424.1424

A series of monoclonal antibodies that define B cell restricted and associated antigens was utilized in an attempt to characterize tumors of B lineage and to relate these tumors to B cell differentiative stages. Antigens that were previously shown to be B cell restricted on normal B lymphocytes were similarly expressed only on B cell malignancies. In contrast, antigens that were B cell associated were also found on tumors of other lineages. Moreover, on the basis of cell surface phenotypes, tumors of B cell origin were divided into three major subgroups, which corresponded to the level of differentiation of the malignant tumor cell: pre-B cell stage (non-T acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic myelocytic leukemia in lymphoid blast crisis); the mid-B cell stage (chronic lymphocytic leukemia, poorly differentiated lymphomas); and secretory B cell stage (large cell lymphomas and plasma cell tumors). A hypothetical model is derived that relates the malignant B cell to its normal cellular counterpart on the basis of cell surface expression of this panel of B cell-restricted and B cell-associated antigens.