Lymphomatoid papulosis. Characterization of skin infiltrates by monoclonal antibodies.

Cryostat sections from fully developed papular lesions of lymphomatoid papulosis (histologic subtype A or B) have been examined by immunoenzymatic staining with 24 monoclonal antibodies against lymphoid cells and their subsets. The lesions demonstrated essentially identical cellular compositions and consisted of T-lymphocytes with a peripheral phenotype (Lyt3+, anti-Leu-4+, OKT6-), macrophages (HLA-DR+, EB11+, OKM1+), and Langerhans cells (HLA-DR+, OKT6+). T-helper/inducer cells (anti-Leu-3+) usually dominated over T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells (anti-Leu-2+). In all cases, proportions of the infiltrating T-cells expressed markers associated with activation (HLA-DR, the OKT1O antigen, interleukin-2 receptor) or proliferation (transferrin receptor, the Ki-67 antigen) of lymphoid cells. Furthermore, the infiltrates contained clusters and/or sheets of large cells reactive with antibodies (Ki-1, Ki-24, Ki-27), which recognize Hodgkin's and Reed-Sternberg cells. These data indicate an origin of the cellular infiltrate from transformed or activated lymphoid cells and suggest an interrelationship of lymphomatoid papulosis to Hodgkin's disease.