CD23 ANTIGEN DENSITY IS RELATED TO SERUM GAMMA-GLOBULIN LEVEL, BONE-MARROW RETICULIN PATTERN, AND TREATMENT IN B-CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA

The CD23 antigen density was evaluated by a cytofluorometric technique in 55 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The quantification method was based on the use of biological standards in indirect immuno fluorescence. The CD23 antigen density was correlated with the percent age of CD23 positive cells, but antigen density appeared to be a more informative parameter. CD23 antigen density was lower in stage B than in stages A or C patients, and higher in patients undergoing chemother apy or previously treated than in untreated patients. There was a sign ificant negative correlation between CD23 antigen density and serum ga mma globulin and IgG levels, that existed only in patients in an advan ced stage of the disease. CD23 antigen density was higher in patients with abnormal bone marrow reticulin pattern. Serum gamma globulin leve l was lower in these patients, as well as in patients with prognostica lly unfavorable histologic bone marrow infiltration pattern. These dat a emphasize the interest of antigen density as an additional parameter and the complex relationship between CD23 expression, hypogammaglobul inemia, bone marrow histologic findings, and treatment in chronic lymp hocytic leukemia.