Levels of myc protein, as analyzed by flow cytometry, correlate with cell growth potential in malignant B-cell lymphomas.

We have analyzed c-myc protein expression during the cell cycle in malignant B-cell lymphomas by dual flow cytometric detection of a fluoresceinated polyclonal anti-myc antibody and propidium iodide which binds stochiometrically to DNA. The data obtained were correlated to other parameters of cell activation such as histopathological grading, expression of the activation antigen 4F2, light scatter (proportional to cellular volume), DNA synthesis and percentage of S-phase cells. The c-myc protein level was strongly correlated to parameters of DNA synthesis/content. In addition, the oncoprotein level was largely unvarying from the late G1 phase through the rest of the cell cycle in both malignant cells and normal purified B cells stimulated to proliferate in vitro.