FURTHER DELINEATION OF THE IMMUNOARCHITECTURE OF THE HUMAN SPLEEN

TM Grogan, CS Rangel, LC Richter, DP Wirt, HV Villar

Abstract


Using a battery of monoclonal antibodies
directed at B and T cell antigens, we delineate the
immunotopography of the human spleen. The tissue
section immunohistochemical methods employed
demonstrate the complexity of white pulp reactivity
with both light and heavy chain immunoglobulin expression
appearing polyclonal. Zonal expression of
heavy chains suggests an anatomic basis for the
known sequence of heavy chain switching due to immunoglobulin
gene rearrangement. Localization of
universal B-cell antigen, B1, delineates the entire
B-cell zone whereas antibodies directed at universal
T antigens (e.g. Leu I ,4,9) delineate the T cell zone.
Leu 14 demonstrates striking B-zone staining in normal
spleen and in hairy cell leukemia, suggesting
that leukemic cells in this disease arise from Leu 14+
B cells. Leu 2a staining occurs not only on lymphoid
cells but probably also on sinusoidal endothelial lining
cells.


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