Enhanced Staining for Leu Ml (CD 15) in Hodgkin’s Disease Using a Secondary Antibody Specific for Immunoglobulin M

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The utility of staining for Leu Ml (CD15) as a diagnostic aid in Hodgkin’s disease has been questioned because of a relative lack of specificity and sensitivity. Furthermore, interpretation is often made difficult by staining that tends to be weak and focal. Because the murine monoclonal anti-Leu Ml antibody is of immunoglobulin M type, it is reasonable to wonder whether improved immunohistochemical staining might result from use of a secondary goat antibody specific for the mouse mu heavy chain instead of the traditional one against mouse immunoglobulin. The two methods were compared, using a biotin-avidin detection system, on paraffin sections from 15 cases of Hodgkin’s disease: 9 nodular sclerosing, 1 mixed cellularity, and 5 of nodular lymphocytic and histiocytic (L&H) type. In the nodular sclerosing/mixed cellularity group, the mu-specific detection method resuited in a greater number of cases with reactive Hodgkin’s cells (7 versus 5), stained an average of more than three times as many neoplastic cells in each case (49% versus 14%), and usually produced staining that was distinctly more intense, often in a membrane and paranuclear distribution characteristic of Leu Ml in Hodgkin’s cells. In the noLeu Ml in Hodgkin’s cells. In the nodular L&H group, 1 case showed weak, focal staining with the newer method. None of the L&H cases stained using the traditional technique. It is concluded that use of a second-stage antibody that is directed specifically against mu heavy chains results in an improvement in immunohistochemical staining for Leu Ml in paraffin sections, which is of practical significance.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: