CD1c antigens are present in normal and neoplastic B‐cells

Abstract

The immunohistochemical detection of CD1c antigen is described in mantle zone B‐cells of the tonsil, lymph node, and spleen, and also in the marginal zone B‐cells of the spleen. CD1c expression was observed in most cases of low‐grade, but in only a single case of high‐grade, B‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. It was not detected in germinal centre cells, nor in Epstein—Barr virus‐transformed or Burkitt's lymphoma B‐cell lines. This distribution suggests that CD1c expression may occur preferentially in slowly proliferating B‐cell populations and does not support previous suggestions that CD1c is a human equivalent of the mouse thymus leukamiea antigens.