LN-3: a diagnostic adjunct in cutaneous graft-versus-host disease.
Expression of HLA Class II antigen on keratinocytes has been advocated as a diagnostic marker of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). LN-3 is a murine monoclonal antibody marking an HLA Class II antigen that survives formalin fixation and paraffin embedding. We analyzed the LN-3 staining pattern on 56 skin biopsies from patients treated with bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplantation, non-transplant patients receiving conventional chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy and controls. Keratinocyte staining, endothelial staining, and the number of epidermal and dermal Langerhans cells were evaluated and analyzed with respect to the histologic and clinical diagnosis in a blind and retrospective fashion. The most predictive parameter for GVHD was marking of endothelial cells by LN-3 which was present in 12 of 16 (75%) biopsies from patients with GVHD. Endothelial staining was found in a total of 19 biopsies of which 12 (63%) had GVHD. These data suggest that LN-3 immunohistochemistry may help identify cutaneous GVHD and discriminate it from conditions that are histologically similar.
Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha.
M S
MS
Synovec
S W
SW
Braddock
J
J
Jones
J
J
Linder
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II