Chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Immunologic markers and functional properties of the leukemic cells.
In 230 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), marker analysis was performed with rosette techniques and a panel of xeno-antisera. A monoclonal B-cell proliferation was found in the majority of cases (94%). In most cases, the B-cells carried IgM, with or without IgD. Cytoplasmic immunoglobulin-inclusion bodies were seen in 7% of the cases of B-CLL. The number of patients with non-B/non-T-CLL was small (2%) in this series. In eight patients (4%), a proliferation of T-cells was established. These patients had a different clinical presentation and marker analysis of the lymphocytes, together with functional studies, showed that this group represented a mixture of different disease processes. Functional analysis of the B-CLL cells in 19 cases showed a poor or absent mitogen response and in nine cases the absence of the capacity to differentiate in vitro into plasma cells and/or to produce immunoglobulins.
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002455:Cell Division; D006801:Humans; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000032:analysis; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology
D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011961:Receptors, Fc