Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026
Generation of Human CD40-activated B cells
Published on: October 17, 2009
CD43 expression in B cell lymphoma
J Treasure1, A Lane, D B Jones
1University Department of Pathology, Southampton General Hospital.
Insights
CD43 expression was studied in B cell lymphomas. CD43 is frequently expressed in lymphocytic and centrocytic lymphomas but not in most follicle centre cell lymphomas, aiding in their diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Immunology
- Oncology
Background:
- CD43 is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on various hematopoietic cells.
- Its expression patterns in B cell lymphomas can aid in differential diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression of CD43 in a diverse cohort of B cell lymphomas.
- To validate a new CD43 antibody (WR14) for diagnostic use.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was performed on 131 B cell lymphoma samples.
- Epitope blocking studies validated the WR14 antibody against the established MT1 antibody.
- Expression of CD43 was correlated with CD5 expression.
Main Results:
- The WR14 antibody was confirmed as a reliable CD43 reagent.
- CD43 was expressed in 84% of lymphocytic lymphomas and 78% of centrocytic lymphomas.
- 91% of follicle centre cell lymphomas (FCC) were negative for CD43.
- CD43 expression was significantly associated with CD5 expression (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- CD43 expression differs significantly between FCC and non-FCC lymphomas.
- CD43 and CD5 antibodies can be used together for immunophenotypic discrimination of B cell lymphomas.
Aims:
To determine the expression of CD43 in frozen sections in a range of B cell lymphomas.
Methods:
The monoclonal antibody WR14, clustered provisionally in the Fourth Leucocyte Typing Workshop as a CD43 reagent, was investigated by epitope blocking studies on formalin fixed reactive lymph node tissue, using the established CD43 antibody MT1, to validate its use as a CD43 reagent. CD43 expression was studied in 131 immunophenotypically defined B cell lymphomas, including lymphocytic lymphoma (Lc, n = 13), centrocytic lymphoma (Cc, n = 14), and a range of follicle centre cell lymphomas (FCC) including centroblastic/centrocytic follicular (CbCcF, n = 48), centroblastic diffuse (CbD, n = 39), centroblastic/centrocytic diffuse (CbCcD, n = 4), centroblastic follicular and diffuse (Cb FD, n = 3) and centroblastic/centrocytic follicular and diffuse (CbCc FD, n = 1). Nine lymphomas of mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) were also examined.
Results:
Epitope blocking studies showed that WR14 is a CD43 reagent that binds to an epitope identical with or close to that recognised by MT1. Eleven of 13 (84%) cases of Lc and 11 of 14 (78%) cases of Cc expressed CD43; 87 of 95 (91%) cases of FCC did not. All eight low grade lymphomas of MALT were negative. One high grade lymphoma, transformed from a low grade MALT lymphoma, was positive for CD43. The expression of CD43 by tumours of B cell lineage was associated with the expression of CD5 (p < 0.001) although either antigen could occasionally be found in the absence of the other.
Conclusion:
CD43 reagents can be used in conjunction with CD5 antibodies for the immunophenotypic discrimination of follicle centre cell lymphomas from non-follicle centre cell lymphomas.
