The correlation between surface immunoglobulin expression and the leucocyte-common antigen in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

The expression of the 230 kD glycoprotein of the leucocyte-common antigen by the leukaemic lymphocytes of patients with B-cell CLL, PLL and HCL and of normal B lymphocytes has been measured in a flow cytometer by the binding of the McAb F8-11-13 and surface tritiation. Its expression has been correlated with the expression of surface immunoglobulin heavy chain and light chain. The levels of binding of F8-11-13 and sIg cover a wide range within the CLL panel, ranging from very low (10% normal) to levels found in the other two leukaemias and normal cells. The progressive deviation from normal in the CLL panel is accompanied in all but a minority of patients by the expression of the leucocyte sialoglycoprotein.