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Frequent expression of haemopoietic and non-haemopoietic
antigens by reactive plasma cells: an immunohistochemical study
using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue
R. Beschorner1, H.-P. Horny 2, U.R. Petruch3
and E. Kaiserling2
1Institute of Brain Research, University of
Tübingen, Germany, 2Institute of Pathology, University of
Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany and 3Children's University
Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
Offprint requests to: Prof.
Dr. H.-P. Horny, Institut für Pathologie, Eberhard-Karls
Universität Tübingen, Liebermeisterstrasse 8, D-72076
Tübingen, Germany
Summary. Unlike
other B cells, plasma cells (PC) react with only a few antibodies
against haemopoietic antigens. We investigated 36 specimens exhibiting
a reactive increase in PC numbers (i.e. plasmacytosis, PC hyperplasia)
with a broad panel of antibodies suitable for use on formalin-fixed,
paraffin-embedded tissue, and compared the findings with those
obtained in 51 cases of multiple myeloma (plasmacytoma).
Regardless of the immunostaining pattern for
immunoglobulin light and heavy chains, reactive PC reacted with
at least two and at most six of seventeen antibodies detecting
haemopoietic antigens [Ber-H2/CD30 (91%), anti-leucocyte common
antigen (LCA)/CD45 (86%), KP1/CD68 (64%), MB2 (57%), 4KB5/CD45RA
(37%), DF-T1/CD43 (28%), UCHL1/CD45RO (20%), L26/CD20 (17%), MT2
(14%) and Mac387 (8%)], and with at least one and at most four
of six antibodies against non-haemopoietic antigens [anti-epithelial
membrane antigen (EMA) (94%), anti-vimentin (77%), anti-pan-cytokeratin/KL1
(74%), BMA120 (51%) and HMB45 (14%)].
Five antibodies stained reactive PC significantly
more often than neoplastic PC: Ber-H2/CD30 (p< 0.0000), KP1/CD68
(p< 0.0000), anti-LCA/CD45 (p< 0.0000), anti-EMA (p<
0.0339) and anti-pan-cytokeratin/KL1 (p< 0.0000). The more
frequent and more heterogeneous expression of antigens by reactive
PC suggests that the aberrant immunoreactivity of neoplastic PC
in plasmacytoma is not due to the process of malignant transformation
in an early step of B-cell differentiation, but could reflect
the heterogeneity of antigen expression by normal PC. Histol.
Histopathol. 14, 805-812 (1999)
Key words: Plasma
cell, Plasmacytosis, Immunohistochemistry
DOI: 10.14670/HH-14.805
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