title: Expression of sialylated Leu-M1 antigen in histiocytosis X.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the versatility of the monoclonal antibody anti-Leu-M1 in histiocytosis X diagnosis. This antibody recognizes an unsialylated lacto-N-fucopentaose III (hapen X) carbohydrate moiety that is linked to the cell membrane protein in interdigitating reticulum cells and Langerhans' cells. Previously, the authors have shown that anti-Leu-M1 can be used to stain Reed-Sternberg cells, which are likely related to interdigitating reticulum cells. In this study, the authors tested the usefulness of anti-Leu-M1 in staining formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections from eight patients with histiocytosis X. For staining of histiocytosis X cells, unlike Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin's disease, neuraminidase treatment was required for removal of sialic acid residues from the Leu-M1 antigen. The staining characteristics of anti-Leu-M1 in histiocytosis X cells resembled those of normal Langerhans' cells and lymphocyte and histiocyte variants (L & H cells) in the lymphocyte-predominant type of Hodgkin's disease. The significance of sialylation of Leu-M1 antigen in histiocytosis X cells has yet to be determined in order to correlate the prognosis of the disease. The authors suggest that anti-Leu-M1 used together with neuraminidase treatment is a valuable tool in the diagnosis of histiocytosis X when electron microscopy or frozen sections for OKT6 immunostaining are not available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston 77225.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santamaria
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Llamas
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ree
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sheibani
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D009439:Neuraminidase