The human leucocyte-common (LC) molecule: dissection of leukaemias using monoclonal antibodies directed against framework and restricted antigenic determinants.

Monoclonal antibodies have previously been raised against two separate antigenic determinants on the human LC molecule. One, F10.89.4, recognizes a 'framework' epitope on all LC molecules; these are found on the majority of leucocytes. The other, F8.11.13, recognizes only a 'restricted' epitope present on a subset of these molecules; this subset is found on B lymphocytes and a subpopulation of T lymphocytes. LC molecules on myeloid cells do not carry the 'restricted' antigenic determinant. We have investigated the differential expression of these LC epitopes on human leukaemias, using immunofluorescence on fresh leukaemic blasts and established cell lines. Our study shows that, as on normal haemopoietic cells, LC molecules on B leukaemias bear both 'framework' and 'restricted' epitopes, while the majority of T leukaemias bear only the 'framework' determinant. The small proportion of T cells that are F8.11.13+ ('restricted' epitope) are relatively mature, being of either OKT4+ or OKT8+ phenotype, and may be in an activated state (HLA-DR+). However, in contrast to normal haemopoietic cells, some myeloid leukaemias carry both 'framework' and 'restricted' epitopes (30% AML and AMML samples are F10.89.4+, F8.11.13+), and it is within this group that all TdT+ AML and AMML cases lie. Thus, these monoclonal antibodies should be useful for studying haemopoiesis in man and for analyzing human haemopoietic malignancies.