Production of anti-erythrocyte antibodies by leukemic and nonleukemic B cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients.
We have assessed the specificity of antibodies from the leukemic B cells of five patients with both chronic lymphocytic leukemia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia (CLL-AHA). Leukemic cells from one patient displayed surface immunoglobulin with heavy and light chain isotypes identical to that of the patient's anti-red blood cell (RBC) antibodies, and the leukemic cells secreted antibodies in vitro with anti-RBC activity. However, in the remaining patients, the leukemic cells displayed surface immunoglobulin with light chain isotypes different from that of the patient's anti-RBC antibodies and secreted antibodies in vitro with no detectable anti-RBC activity. Thus, there are two distinct classes of CLL-AHA patients, differentiated by the presence or absence of an anti-RBC antibody-producing leukemic B cell clone. The apparent heterogeneity in the source of pathogenic anti-RBC antibodies may impact the treatment response of the two classes of CLL-AHA patients.
Centola
M
M
XOMA Corporation, Santa Monica, California, USA.
Lin
K
K
Sutton
C
C
Berenson
J R
JR
Kunkel
L A
LA
Rosen
L
L
Hahn
B H
BH
Robinson
R R
RR
D000368:Aged; D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015326:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain; D015328:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Light Chain; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell