Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: correlation between morphological/immunohistochemical and molecular biological findings in bone marrow biopsy specimens

S M Kröber¹, A Greschniok¹, E Kaiserling¹ and H-P Horny¹

¹ Institute of Pathology, University of Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany

Correspondence to:
Dr Kröber, Institut für Pathologie, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Liebermeisterstrasse 8, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany email: stefan-martin.kroeber{at}med.uni-tuebingen.de

Background—Although numerous antibodies suitable for use on paraffin wax embedded sections are available for the subtyping of acute leukaemia (acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)) in bone marrow biopsy sections, unequivocal identification of the cell line involved is sometimes impossible.

Methods—Forty eight formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded bone marrow biopsy specimens that had been decalcified in EDTA were investigated, including 42 thought to exhibit ALL on the basis of bone marrow smears. Five specimens exhibited AML and one biphenotypic leukaemia, as diagnosed immunohistochemically in bone marrow biopsies. Immunostaining was performed with antibodies against relatively specific B and T cell antigens. The blasts were investigated for rearrangements of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) and the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) genes.

Results—Amplifiable DNA was obtained from all 48 specimens. An IgH gene rearrangement was detected in 20 of 23 c-ALL specimens. Four of seven T cell ALL (T-ALL) specimens had a TCR- gene rearrangement, and the one B cell ALL (B-ALL) specimen exhibited a clonal IgH gene. Three of four cases of unclassifiable ALL could be assigned to the B cell lineage on the basis of gene rearrangement analysis. Seven cases originally diagnosed in smears as ALL were rediagnosed as AML (n = 5) or biphenotypic leukaemia (n = 2) because of immunohistochemical reactivity for myeloperoxidase or lysozyme. Two of these AML cases and two of three cases of biphenotypic leukaemia exhibited a monoclonal IgH gene rearrangement.

Conclusions—Acute leukaemia can be subtyped in bone marrow sections with a limited panel of antibodies suitable for use on paraffin wax embedded sections (against CD3, CD10, CD20, CD79a, myeloperoxidase, and lysozyme). In patients with ALL and a diagnostically equivocal immunophenotype, gene rearrangement analysis might indicate whether the B or T cell lineage is involved.

Key Words: acute lymphoblastic leukaemia • immunohistochemistry • polymerase chain reaction

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