The biology of the HL-A system and the association with malignant lymphomas.

Present knowledge of the HL-A system as it relates to lymphoproliferative disease is reviewed briefly. Preliminary results from a current study demonstrate an elevated frequency of Aw33 and depressed frequency of B17 associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma-leukemia. In somewhat weaker association, Aw24 and Aw33 are elevated in follicular-center-cell lymphomas, while Bw44 is depressed. It is concluded that more specific subclassification of the lymphomas according to immunologic concepts may aid in correlating the disease with HL-A type as it has for Hodgkin's disease.