CD56 expression in B-cell lymphoma.

AIMS To determine the expression of CD43 in frozen sections in a range of B cell lymphomas. METHODS The monoclonal antibody WR14, clustered provisionally in the Fourth Leucocyte Typing Workshop as a CD43 reagent, was investigated by epitope blocking studies on formalin fixed reactive lymph node tissue, using the established CD43 antibody MT1, to validate its use as a CD43 reagent. CD43 expression was studied in 131 immunophenotypically defined B cell lymphomas, including lymphocytic lymphoma (Lc, n = 13), centrocytic lymphoma (Cc, n = 14), and a range of follicle centre cell lymphomas (FCC) including centroblastic/centrocytic follicular (CbCcF, n = 48), centroblastic diffuse (CbD, n = 39), centroblastic/centrocytic diffuse (CbCcD, n = 4), centroblastic follicular and diffuse (Cb FD, n = 3) and centroblastic/centrocytic follicular and diffuse (CbCc FD, n = 1). Nine lymphomas of mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) were also examined. RESULTS Epitope blocking studies showed that WR14 is a CD43 reagent that binds to an epitope identical with or close to that recognised by MT1. Eleven of 13 (84%) cases of Lc and 11 of 14 (78%) cases of Cc expressed CD43; 87 of 95 (91%) cases of FCC did not. All eight low grade lymphomas of MALT were negative. One high grade lymphoma, transformed from a low grade MALT lymphoma, was positive for CD43. The expression of CD43 by tumours of B cell lineage was associated with the expression of CD5 (p < 0.001) although either antigen could occasionally be found in the absence of the other. CONCLUSION CD43 reagents can be used in conjunction with CD5 antibodies for the immunophenotypic discrimination of follicle centre cell lymphomas from non-follicle centre cell lymphomas.