[Application of flow cytometry in the differential diagnosis of lymphoma/leukemia with aberrant antigen expression].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the application of flow cytometry in the differential diagnosis of lymphoma/leukemia with aberrant antigen expression.


METHODS
The results of flow cytometry of 30 lymphoma/leukemia cases with aberrant antigen expression, of which 3 cases being lymphomas, 8 B-cell leukemia, 1 T-cell leukemia, 17 acute non-lymphoid leukemia and 1 acute non-lymphoid leukemia involving lymph nodes were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry (EnVision) for CD79a, CD3 and MPO was performed on all cases.


RESULTS
Eleven cases of B-cell lymphoma/leukemia were cytoplasmic CD79a (cCD79a)-positive, cytoplasmic CD3 (cCD3epsilon) and cytoplasmic MPO (cMPO)-negative. Five of these cases were positive for CD5 and 2 for CD5, 1 or 2 for myeloid marker(s). The T-cell leukemia cases were cCD3epsilon-positive, cCD79a and cMPO-negative, they also co-expressed CD13 and CD33. The mantle cell lymphoma cases were positive for CD3, CD13 and CD33. Of the 8 B-cell leukemia cases, 4 were positive for CD5, 3 for CD13 and 1 for CD13 and CD33. The 18 acute non-lymphoid leukemia cases (including 1 acute non-lymphoid leukemia case involving lymph nodes) were cMPO-positive and cCD79a and cCD3epsilon-negative. Eight of the 18 expressed T-cell markers (including 1 case of acute non-lymphoid leukemia involving lymph nodes), 8 expressed B-cell markers, 2 expressed both T and B-cell markers.


CONCLUSIONS
Flow cytometry can demonstrate aberrant antigen expression in lymphoma/leukemia cells and is helpful in delineating their cell origin. The technique is thus useful in the differential diagnosis of lymphoma/leukemia.
Xia
Cheng-Qing
CQ
Department of Pathology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital-Affiliate of the Capital University of Medical Science, Beijing 100020, China. xiachengqing@yeal.net
Chen
Shi-Lun
SL
Qi
Man
M
Xu
Xian-Fa
XF
D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D018826:CD13 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D018956:CD5 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D051925:CD79 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015448:Leukemia, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D020522:Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D063268:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D017252:CD3 Complex; C571163:CD33 protein, human; C115335:CD3E protein, human; D018956:CD5 Antigens; D051925:CD79 Antigens; D063268:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3; D009195:Peroxidase; D018826:CD13 Antigens