Common Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia‐associated Antigen (CALLA)‐positive B cell lymphoma

Abstract

We analyzed the expression of common acute lymphoblastic leukemia associated antigen (CALLA) in 134 cases of non Hodgkin's lymphoma of the B cell type using an immunohistochemical method. The incidence of CALLA expression in B cell lymphomas was higher in follicular lymphomas (29%) than in diffuse lymphomas (15%). Malignant lymphoma (ML), follicular small cleaved cell (FSC) according to the histologic type, showed a considerably high incidence of CALLA (43%), whereas ML, diffuse small cleaved cell (DSC) displayed a very low incidence (5%). These findings suggest the possibility that these two morphologically similar lymphomas may be derived from distinct populations of B cells [CALLA+‐germinal center (GC) cells, CALLA−‐germinal center (GC) cells or mantle zone (MZ) cells]. In addition, one case of DSC expressed surface immunoglobulin D (SlgD) and alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) as well as CALLA. This indicates that CALLA‐positive small cleaved cell lymphoma expressing SlgD or ALPase may represent neoplastic proliferation of CALLA positive MZ cells of secondary follicles in lymph nodes. Acta Pathol. Jpn. 39: 503∼508, 1989.