Paraffin section markers for Reed-Sternberg cells. A comparative study of peanut agglutinin, Leu-M1, LN-2, and Ber-H2.

Hodgkin's disease (HD) is sometimes difficult to distinguish from non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and a reliable marker for Reed-Sternberg and related (R-S) cells in paraffin sections would be useful. Ninety-one cases of HD with PNA, anti-Leu M1, and LN-2, and 90 cases with Ber-H2 were studied. The staining results were evaluated independently. R-S cells stained positively with one or more of the reagents in all cases. PNA staining was positive in 78 cases (85.7%); Leu M1, 63 (69.2%); LN-2, 71 (78.0%); and Ber-H2, 80 cases (88.9%). Positively stained cells were readily recognized in 71 cases (91.0%) of PNA+, 51 (80.9%) of Leu M1+, and 51 (71.8%) of LN-2+ and 71 (88.7%) of Ber-H2+ cases; the cells were found only after careful search in the remaining cases. Sixteen cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (large cell type, ten; mixed, five; unclassifiable, one) were also stained. Tumor cells did not stain with PNA or anti-Leu M1 in any of the 16 cases but did stain positively with LN-2 in four and with Ber-H2 in five. Thus, the detection rate of R-S cells was the highest with Ber-H2, closely followed by PNA. PNA, however, stained the largest number of R-S cells per case, and the results were least affected by the type of fixative employed. Staining of peripheral T-cell lymphoma appeared to be nil or extremely rare with PNA and Leu M1, whereas it was not uncommon with Ber-H2 and LN-2. In conclusion, to facilitate the detection of R-S cells in paraffin sections, the application of a panel of three markers, PNA, Leu M1, and Ber-H2, appears to be necessary at this point in time.