EXPRESSION OF IMMUNOGLOBIN-G ON BLOOD-LYMPHOCYTES IN CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 31  (2) , 226-236
Abstract
A sensitive rosette test utilizing antibody-coated red cells was applied to the study of the immunoglobulins [Ig] on the surface of [human] blood lymphocytes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). IgG was a common surface membrane Ig (SmIg) on CLL cells. The reasons for this variation are discussed. The anti-IgG-coated erythrocytes really are detecting IgG and not a cross-reacting substance. The IgG is intrinsic to the cell and not cytophilically bound. Fc-binding and other artefacts were excluded as explanations for the data. Expression of Ig by individual cells was studied by using mixtures of fluorescein- and rhodamine-labeled red cells coated with various anti-Ig. Fifty-one cases of untreated CLL were tested and the lymphocytes of 38 of these cases bore Ig of a single L chain type. These cases could be classified on the basis of their lymphocyte SmIg as follows: 18 expressing M and D and G, 11 expressed D and G but not M, 6 expressing M and D but not G, and 3 expressing G alone.