Date of Award

Spring 1987

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biomedical Engineering

First Advisor

Jeutter, Dean C.

Second Advisor

Tempelis, Laurence

Third Advisor

Jodat, Ronald

Abstract

The use of flow cytometry to evaluate neoplastic B-lymphocytes has assumed importance in both immunologic research and clinical diagnosis. In this study, lymphocytes were isolated from infiltrated lymph nodes and peripheral blood from patients with malignant lymphocytic lymphoma. The isolated lymphocytes from patients and controls were stained with purified antibodies specific for kappa or lambda light-chains and analyzed by a fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS). Comparison of the number of kappa positive and lambda positive cells at each level of fluorescence intensity in 7 of 12 cases of NHL revealed a monoclonal population of malignant lymphocytes. This cytofluorometric technique, known as the kappa-lambda test, detected clonal excess of small numbers of monoclonal B-lymphocytes representing as little as 4 percent of the total B-cell population. Results of the tests were correlated with histopathologic tests and with standard cell marker studies in each case. B-cell clonal excess was observed in 7 of 12 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of B-cell origin. Clonal excess was also detected in 4 of 7 peripheral blood samples from patients with lymph nodes tested positive for the same monoclonal light-chain excess. This cytofluorometric tool provides unique advantages over more standard methods of cell surface analysis. Compared to conventional marker studies using visual methods with a fluorescence microscope, the cytofluorometric analysis is objective and rapid, permitting the study of large numbers of cells.

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