Dual parameter flow cytometry studies in human lymphomas.

Dual parameter flow cytometry studies using Coulter volume and cell DNA content were carried out in monodisperse cell suspensions of 64 samples of human lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, hairy cell leukemia, and benign lymphoid proliferations. Differences in mean Coulter volume among the lymphomas were due both to the intrinsic differences in mean G1 cell Coulter volume and to the presence of increased fractions of larger S and G2 cells, especially among the large B cell lymphomas. However, the relative contribution of large non-G1 cells to the overall population Coulter volume distribution was a relatively minor one; the presence of cells in S did not increase mean Coulter volume by more than 10%, even in samples with high S fractions. There was a good correlation between mean G1 cell Coulter volume and the log of the fraction of cells in S among the B cell lymphomas (r = 0.55). Evidence is presented that within individual samples, large cells proliferate more rapidly than small cells. This was seen in every case, both in the normal samples and in the lymphomas, and in the T cell lymphomas as well as in the B cell lymphomas. Aneuploidy was detected by flow cytometry in 11 cases; in 7 cases the aneuploid cell component could be analyzed separately from the diploid cell component on the basis of cell Coulter volume differences. The aneuploid components of diploid-aneuploid mixtures had higher S fractions than the diploid components in six of seven cases (0.16 +/- 0.04 [SE] vs. 0.08 +/- 0.02). These findings are considered in relation to the histopathological classification of the lymphomas, and in relation to the concept of clonal selection and clonal evolution of tumors.

The biology of the HL-A system and the association with malignant lymphomas.

Present knowledge of the HL-A system as it relates to lymphoproliferative disease is reviewed briefly. Preliminary results from a current study demonstrate an elevated frequency of Aw33 and depressed frequency of B17 associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma-leukemia. In somewhat weaker association, Aw24 and Aw33 are elevated in follicular-center-cell lymphomas, while Bw44 is depressed. It is concluded that more specific subclassification of the lymphomas according to immunologic concepts may aid in correlating the disease with HL-A type as it has for Hodgkin's disease.

HLA typing in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Comparative study in Caucasoids, Mexican-Americans and Negroids.

Over 200 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were typed for HLA-A, B, C and DR antigens, and typing was correlated with the morphologic diagnosis according to the Lukes-Collins classification system of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Three major racial groups were represented: Caucasoids, Mexican-Americans and Negroids. Significant associations were observed between HLA-AW33 and Caucasoid B-cell lymphomas, and for HLA AW24, HLA-B37 and HLA-B40 and B cell lymphomas in Negroids. No significant correlations were found within the Mexican-American patient population. The number of T cell lymphomas was insufficient to draw any conclusions. The DR antigens were not significantly associated with any of the diagnostic subgroups.