Immunohistological study of transferrin receptor expression in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Lyophilized frozen sections of 24 lymph nodes from patients with different types of non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma, diagnosed according to the Kiel Classification, were tested by an immunoperoxidase-ABC-method, in order to assess the expression of the transferrin receptors, recognized by the OKT9 monoclonal antibody. Our results support the hypothesis that OKT9 reactivity of lymphomatous tissues might reflect the histological grading, offering a new important prognostic parameter, and stress the concept that immunological studies in frozen sections allow a more precise definition of the lymphoma phenotype.