title: Investigation of bone marrow lymphocyte subsets in normal, reactive, and neoplastic states using paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens.
abstract: Bone marrow lymphocyte subsets in normal and reactive states and in neoplastic diseases involving the marrow were investigated with a select panel of monoclonal antibodies reactive on routinely processed, paraffin-embedded trephine biopsy material. In all cases, the antibodies beta F1 and UCHL1 (CD45RO) stained virtually equal numbers of T cells (reactive and neoplastic), whereas antibody OPD4 stained only about one half of this number of T cells. Antibody L26 (CD20) stained B cells (reactive and neoplastic) in all specimens. The T-cell to B-cell ratio in the normal marrow was between 4:1 and 5:1, and a significant increase in T-cell numbers was observed in reactive and myelodysplastic states. A significant increase in B-cell numbers, however, was seen only in marrow infiltrated by B-cell lymphoma. Bone marrow exhibiting infiltrates of B-cell lymphoma, acute leukemia, or myeloproliferative disorders showed normal or decreased numbers of T cells. These findings show that antibodies UCHL1, beta F1, and L26 can be used to determine the numbers of B and T lymphocytes in paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed bone marrow specimens and thus may help to distinguish reactive T lymphocytosis from B-cell lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University of Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Horny
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wehrmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Griesser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiemann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bültmann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaiserling
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000473:pathology; D007938:Leukemia / Q000473:pathology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000473:pathology*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000473:pathology; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D012016:Reference Values; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology