DISTRIBUTION OF COMPLEMENT RECEPTOR SUBTYPES IN NON-HODGKINS LYMPHOMAS OF B-CELL ORIGIN

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 58  (1) , 20-26
Abstract
Surface receptors specific for the C4b [complement component 4b] (CR1) or C3d (CR2) component of complement were examined on the neoplastic cells from 30 [human] cases of non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma of B cell origin and on cells derived from 9 normal lymphoid tissues. Lymphocyte suspensions from non-neoplastic peripheral blood, tonsils and lymph node contained 3 categories of complement receptor lymphocytes (CRL): cells with receptors for C4b and C3d (CR1+, CR2+); cells with receptors for C4b but not C3d (CR1+, CR2-); and cells with receptors for C3d but not C4b (CR1-, CR2+). The mean of the proportion of total CRL expressing receptors only for C3d (CR1-, CR2+) was 0.35 for non-neoplastic tissues and 0.28 for malignant lymphomas of follicular center cell (FCC) origin. The proportion of cells with this phenotype was significantly higher in well differentiated lymphocytic lymphomas (WDL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (0.65) and in intermediately differentiated lymphocytic lymphomas (IDL) (0.59). Histologic compartmentalization of the CRL subtypes was observed in frozen sections of normal lymphoid tissue. CR1+ cells were present in lymphoid follicles, interfollicular areas and in splenic red pulp. CR2+ cells were confined to lymphoid follicles. Complement receptor phenotypes may be useful markers of B cell differentiation.