Expression of leucocyte-common antigen and large sialoglycoprotein on leukemic cells in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Abstract

Patterns of leucocyte-common antigen (L-CA) and large sialoglycoprotein (LSGP) expression on leukemic peripheral blood lymphocytes of 13 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 17 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in leukemic phase and one with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) have been examined by means of surface labelling and electrophoresis in 5% polyacrylamide gels. The 13 CLL, 10 of the 11 diffuse NHL and the six nodular poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma (PDLL) patients fell into three groups according to expression of 210, 198 and 185k forms of L-CA. Group 1 (210 < 198 < 185 k L-CA) included eight CLL and one diffuse NHL; Group 2 (210 ≥ 198 and 185k L-CA) included four CLL, three diffuse NHL and four nodular PDLL; Group 3 (mainly 210k L-CA) included one CLL, six diffuse NHL and two nodular PDLL. A patient with diffuse large cell lymphoma and the HCL patient both had patterns of multiple, diffuse, very high M r labelled glycoproteins. LSGP on these cells varied from nil to very high and levels were not related to L-CA patterns. Lymph node cells from five patients were also studied and were found to express larger numbers of L-CA forms and less LSGP than corresponding peripheral blood lymphocytes. Possible relationships of L-CA forms and LSGP to lymphocyte function and disease patterns are discussed.