Distinct morphophenotypic features of chronic B-cell leukaemias identified with CD1c and CD23 antibodies

Morphological criteria usually applied to diagnose various subtypes of B-cell chronic lymphoid leukaemia are largely subjective. Immunophenotyping of 61 relevant cases using a selected panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAb), showed that CD1c and CD23 mAb were able to separate B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) from other chronic B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases. Lymphocytes of B-CLL were CD1c^-, CD23⁺, whereas those of other types of chronic B-cell leukaemia were CD1c(+/-), CD23^-, and CD38(+/-). Non-B-CLL cases had a significantly higher amount of large peroxidase-negative (unstained) cells analyzed with an automated blood cell counter (Technicon H6000). This type of volumetric assessment allowed a separation between typical and 'atypical' B-CLL, which otherwise were both CD1c^-, and CD23⁺. These combinations of phenotypic markers corresponded to well-defined haematopathological entities, conventionally diagnosed on peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow smears, and on histologic sections of lymph nodes and spleen.