Lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 expression on plasma cells
correlates with tumor growth in multiple myeloma
EJ Ahsmann, HM Lokhorst, AW Dekker and AC Bloem
Department of Haematology, University Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) (CD11a/CD18) expression on
bone marrow-derived plasma cells from normal individuals, patients with
monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance (MGUS), and patients
with multiple myeloma (MM) was studied by immunofluorescence microscopy and
flow cytometry using a new monoclonal antibody (MoAb) F8.8. This MoAb
recognizes the alpha-chain (CD11a) of LFA-1 as determined by
immunoprecipitation, and inhibits T-cell-induced cytotoxicity. Although the
F8.8 MoAb stains unstimulated peripheral blood T cells with the same mean
fluorescence intensity as other anti- CD11a MoAbs, it proved to be superior
in detecting CD11a on plasma cells as compared with reference MoAbs. Using
the anti-CD11a MoAb F8.8, a strong correlation was found between LFA-1
expression and disease activity in MM, as defined by clinical performance
and serum M-protein level. Hardly any LFA-1+ plasma cells were detected in
normal individuals, patients with MGUS, and MM patients in a nonactive
phase of their disease, while plasma cells of some MM patients with active
disease and all patients with fulminant disease expressed LFA-1. Plasma
cell LFA-1 expression correlated well with the labeling index (LI) of the
tumors in the individual patients. The relation between LFA-1 expression
and the tumor growth suggests an involvement of this adhesion molecule in
cellular interactions resulting in plasma cell proliferation.
Volume 79,
Issue 8,
pp. 2068-2075,
04/15/1992
Copyright © 1992 by The American Society of Hematology
