title: Bone marrow origin of a B-cell lymphoma.
abstract: To search for precursors of the neoplastic B cells in a patient with a nodular lymphoma, we produced a monoclonal antibody to a variable region idiotope on the lymphoma IgM heavy chain. Clonal ancestors of the lymphoma cells were identified by this marker among bone marrow pre-B cells (5% to 26%). A second antiidiotype (anti-Id) antibody specific for the complete lymphoma IgM kappa recognized 10% of B cells in bone marrow and blood and greater than 95% of B cells in lymphomatous lymph nodes, including one obtained after tumor conversion to a diffuse large cell lymphoma. Immunoglobulin gene analysis surprisingly revealed expansion of multiple clones of early B lineage cells in bone marrow, including members of the neoplastic clone. The data suggest that this lymphoma arose through a progression of transformational events beginning in bone marrow: first, creation of an oligoclonal pre-neoplastic pool of pre-B cells, subsequent conversion of a single subclone into low grade neoplastic B cells that homed to the lymph node follicles, and later progression to a more invasive form of the B-cell lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental and Clinical Immunology, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Bertoli
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kubagawa
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Borzillo
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Burrows
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Schreeder
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C044203:anti-IgM