An immunohistological study of the cellular constituents of Hodgkin's disease using a monoclonal antibody panel

Cryostat sections of lymphoid tissue from 44 cases of Hodgkin's disease were analysed by immunoperoxidase staining using a panel of monoclonal antibodies which included reagents reactive with T cells and their subsets, B cells, HLA‐DR, Ig, dendritic reticulum cells and C3b receptor. A wide spectrum of immunohistological patterns was observed ranging from cases in which T cells were numerous (B cells being absent or present in only small numbers) to cases in which very prominent B cell follicles were present. These follicles contained a meshwork of dendritic reticulum cells and were composed of polyclonal B cells (as assessed by light chain expression). T cells were present in small numbers within these B cell follicles, often clustered in a thin rim around individual Reed‐Sternberg and Hodgkin's cells. All B cell‐rich cases were examples of lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's disease. Assessment of the T cell helper/suppressor ratios was hindered by the fact that both anti‐helper antibodies (OKT4 and anti‐Leu 3a) reacted with macrophages. However the majority of cases appeared to contain a normal excess of T helper cells. HLA‐DR was strongly expressed in T cell rich areas, on Reed‐Sternberg and Hodgkin's cells, on vascular endothelium and on numerous infiltrating cells in the fibrous tissue areas in cases of nodular sclerosing disease. Reed‐Sternberg and Hodgkin's cells were not labelled by either anti‐fibronectin or by antibodies reactive with dendritic reticulum cells (anti‐C3b receptor and antibody R4/23).