The nature of Reed-Sternberg cells, the abnormal cells of Hodgkin’s disease, is controversial. Morphological and immunologic marker studies suggested different cells of origin. To investigate a possible B or T cell origin, immunoglobulin and T cell receptor gene analyses were performed on tissues from 11 patients in early and late stages of Hodgkin’s disease. In addition, the immunologic marker patterns of the Reed-Sternberg cells were determined. Rearrangements of immunoglobulin heavy- and light-chain genes were detected in tissues from five patients, particularly in late stages of the disease when...

The absence of reactivity on routinely prepared tissue sections has hampered the use of monoclonal antileukocyte antibodies in diagnostic histopathology. Here we describe five new antibodies reactive with leukocyte subsets in formaldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Antibody MT1 is reactive with mature and immature T cells and not with mature B cells. MT2 is reactive with mature T cells and B cells, but not with immature T cells, activated T cells, and germinal center B cells. Antibody MB1 is reactive with all B cells, with about 50% of mature...

Nodular lymphocyte predominance type of Hodgkin’s disease can be distinguished from other subtypes of Hodgkin’s disease on morphological and clinical grounds. Immunohistological studies on frozen tissue sections of seven cases of nodular lymphocyte predominance type of Hodgkin’s disease (NLPHD) show differences in B cell, T cell, as well as dendritic cell population. NLPHD is confined to follicles which contain predominantly small lymphocytes, usually over 50% B cells and large numbers of B2+, anti-C3b+, anti-DRC+, and Ig- dendritic cells. The IgM+, IgD+, Leu8- B lymphocytes are of polyclonal origin....

Cell lines derived from Hodgkin’s disease may provide a clue to the nature of Sternberg-Reed cells. In the current study, the establishment of an Epstein-Barr-virus-negative lymphoblastoid cell line, derived from the pleural fluid of a patient with the nodular sclerosis type of Hodgkin’s disease, is described. The morphologic and immunologic cell marker findings indicate that this cell line is derived from Sternberg-Reed cells. The immunologic findings and a chromosomal analysis are in agreement with a B-lymphocyte origin of these cultured cells. Extrapolation of the results to Hodgkin’s disease...