Distinctive Pattern of Expression of Activation and Resting B Cell Antigens on Normal and Neoplastic Human B Cells: Immunophenotypic Heterogeneity in Some Lymphomas

The pattern of expression of four B cell antigen systems on mature human B cells and B cell lymphomas were studied. The L30 antigen was detected on small resting B cells, while the B cell activation antigens, CD10, CD25 and L29, were expressed differentially on activated B cells. The multiparameter-flowcytometric analysis of these four antigens revealed that mature B cells changed their pattern of expression in an activation-stage specific manner. Thus, the presence of L30, CD10, CD25 and L29 on mature human B cells correlated with distinct B cell populations at a particular stage of activation. Histo-pathologically well defined B cell lymphomas were also studied for the expression of these four antigens. Burkitt's lymphoma and diffuse small cleaved lymphoma were found to have an heterogeneous expression of these antigens, suggesting that certain types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) are immunophenotypically heterogeneous, and that this heterogeneity may reflect a different biology and behavior in vivo.