A new monoclonal antibody (KB61) recognizing a novel antigen which is selectively expressed on a subpopulation of human B lymphocytes.

The present paper describes a new monoclonal antibody (KB61) raised against hairy cell leukaemia cells. Antibody KB61 recognizes a molecule of approximately 40,000 molecular weight on human B cells. It reacts with B lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, in primary lymphoid follicles, in the mantle zone of secondary follicles, in interfollicular areas and in splenic marginal zone areas. However, germinal centre lymphoid cells do not express the antigen recognized by antibody KB61. The antibody shows limited reactivity outside the lymphoid system, i.e. polymorphs, tissue macrophages endothelial cells in the hepatic sinusoids. Antibody KB61 discriminates between different types of B-cell malignancies, reacting with the neoplastic cells in hairy cell leukaemia, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (of B-cell type), prolymphocytic leukaemia and centrocytic lymphoma, but not with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, germinal centre-derived lymphomas (other than centrocytic), Burkitt's lymphoma and lymphoblastic lymphoma. Antibody KB61 may be of value in the study of B-cell subpopulations and in the differential diagnosis of B-cell neoplasms.