Immunocytochemical evaluation of the percentage of proliferating cells in pathological bone marrow and peripheral blood samples with the Ki‐67 and anti‐bromo‐deoxyuridine monoclonal antibodies

Abstract

The monoclonal antibody Ki‐67, directed against a nuclear antigen expressed by dividing cells in all the phases of cell cycle except G0 and early G1, was used in combination with an anti‐BrdU monoclonal antibody, reacting selectively with cells in S‐phase, for assessing the percentage of proliferating cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from patients with lymphoma, leukaemia and multiple myeloma. Immunocytochemical labelling of proliferating cells was performed on marrow frozen sections and/or cytospins using an immunoalkaline phosphatase (APAAP) technique that made it possible to obtain proliferative index measurements in a few hours in contrast to the 3–7 d needed with tritiated thymidine. In the 54 marrow lymphoma cases studied a highly significant correlation was observed between the proportion of Ki‐67 (+) cells and the separation into low‐ and high‐grade malignant lymphomas according to the Kiel classification. In patients with multiple myeloma at the first diagnosis, the percentage of Ki‐67 (+) cells was low (6–10%). In contrast, a high percentage of Ki‐67 (+) cells (40–50%) was observed in a young adult with multiple myeloma, in a patient who first presented at the clinical observation with an extradural mass and in three patients who developed extramedullary masses several years after the initial diagnosis of myeloma. In acute lymphoblastic leukaemias of common type the mean value of Ki‐67 labelling was 31.3%. Because of their simplicity and rapidity, immunocytochemical techniques may be expected to replace autoradiography and flow cytometry for the detection of proliferating cells in haematological samples.