IMMUNOPHENOTYPING OF B-CELL LYMPHOMAS IN BONE-MARROW BIOPSIES - VALUEOF 4 MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES (DBB 42, DNA 7, DBA 44 AND DND 53) WORKINGON PARAAFFIN-EMBEDDED MATERIAL

An immunohistochemical study was performed on 132 routinely processed trephine biopsies of the bone marrow (40 reactive lymphocytosis, 80 B- cell lymphomas, 7 T-cell lymphomas, 5 Hodgkin's diseases), using 4 mon oclonal antibodies, DBB.42, DNA.7, DBA.44, DND.53, which are directed against B-lymphocyte associated antigens, not destroyed by fixation. D BB.42, DNA. 7 and DBA. 44 are formalin and Bouin resistant. They do no t stain myeloid, erythroblastic, histiomonocytic and endothelial cells , and are particularly suitable for bone marrow biopsies. DBB.42 and D NA. 7 in association, identifie all B-cell lymphomas and no T-cell lym phoma. DBB.42 recognizes respectively 65165 and 13/15 low and high gra de malignancy B-cell lymphomas, and DNA.7, 54165 and 15115. In our han ds, these 2 antibodies are more reliable than L26 and MB2 on bone marr ow biopsies. DBA.44 identifies 15115 hairy-cell leukemias, and interst ingly stains only 10% of other B-cell lymphomas, and no T-cell lymphom a. DND.53 is less specific, but reveals Reed-Sternberg cells. Combined immunostaining with anti T-lymphocyte antibody CD3, let us appreciate the contribution and the limis of immunohistochemistry in the diagnos is of bone marrow lymphoproliferative diseases, especially for interst itial and nodular lymphoid infiltrates of undetermined significance. T hese results point out the value of these 4 monoclonal antibodies in r outinely processed bone marrow biopsies, particularly of DBB.42 and DB A.44.