Utilization of monoclonal antibodies and immuno-scanning electron microscopy for the positive identification of human leukemic cells.

Monoclonal antibodies generated against normal and leukemic human leukocytes were tested for their differential reactivity with leukemia and lymphoma cell lines as well as with circulating lymphoid and myeloid leukemic cells by means of immuno-scanning electron microscopy (immuno-SEM). Anti-T (OKT3), anti-mu-chain, anti-CALLA (J5), anti-BA-1, anti-BA-2, and anti-nonlymphoid (Mol) monoclonal antibodies were covalently conjugated to polystyrene latex microspheres (immunolatex), using a two-step glutaraldehyde reaction, and subsequently incubated with the various cell types. Cultured B-type Burkitt lymphoma cells (Daudi) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells displayed extensive labeling with monoclonal anti-mu, anti-B1, and anti-BA-1 immunolatex conjugates, while cultured malignant T cells (HD-Mar) showed positive labeling with OKT3 immunolatex alone. Cultured myelomonocytic cells (GDM-1) and cells obtained from patients with acute myeloblastic (AML) and monoblastic leukemia (AMoL) labeled only with anti-Mol immunolatex, while cultured promyelocytic cells (HL-60) displayed far less labeling with this conjugate. Common-type acute lymphoblastic leukemia (C/ALL) cells were labeled predominantly with the J5 (anti-CALLA) and anti-BA-2 immunolatex conjugates. Evidence is presented indicating that immuno-SEM employing monoclonal antibodies is a reproducible technique which may be used in the study of leukocyte maturation and may provide additional information in the classification of poorly differentiated leukemias.