THE PRESENCE OF MONOCLONAL CYTOPLASMIC IMMUNOGLOBULINS IN LEUKEMIC B-CELLS FROM PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 59  (2) , 435-438
Abstract
It has generally been assumed that CLL [Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia] B cells do not contain cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (CyIg), although these cells express surface membrane immunoglobulin (SmIg). The present study, in which SmIg and CyIg determinations were performed simultaneously using leukemic B cells from 20 patients with CLL, demonstrates that CyIg staining was detectable in each CLL cell population examined and that the intensity of cytoplasmic immunofluorescent staining in each instance was moderate to strong. SmIg and CyIg L chain determinations indicated monoclonality in all 20 cases. The H chain class of SmIg and CyIg in each CLL cell population was not uniformly comparable, however. The majority (15 cases) of CLL B cells contained .mu. H chain CyIg and .mu. and .delta. H chain CyIg was demonstrated in the remaining 6 cases. The SmIg phenotype appeared heterogeneous with .gamma. and .alpha. chain determinants found associated with .mu. or .mu. and .delta. chains on the same leukemic cell populations. This apparent polyclonal SmIg staining pattern was most likely due to nonspecific adsorption of the patient''s own serum Ig by Fc receptors on CLL B cells. The great majority of CLL B cells contain detectable CyIg. CyIg determination is superior to SmIg phenotyping in documenting the monoclonality of CLL.

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