Serological analysis of cell surface antigens of null cell acute lymphocytic leukemia by mouse monoclonal antibodies

Nine antigen systems were defined. Two were related to HLA A,B,C and to Ia-like antigens; the others could be grouped into three categories. (i) NL-22, NL-1: NL-22 antibody reacted with leukemia cells from 12 of 16 cases of null cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (null-ALL) but not with any other type of leukemia tested or with lymphoid cells of various origins. Among cultured cell lines tested, one (NALM-6) of three null-ALL cell lines was positive; the others were negative. Absorption analysis confirmed the restriction of NL-22 antigen to null-ALL. NL-1 antibody was reactive with leukemia cells from 10 of 16 cases of null-ALL and 3 of 6 cases of chronic myelocytic leukemia in blastic crisis (CML-BC). The antigen was present also on a minor population of normal lymphoid cells. The distribution and molecular weight (100,000; glycoprotein) of the NL-1 antigen resembled that of the previously described common ALL antigen (cALL). (ii) NL-30, NL-4: Both antibodies exhibited almost identical patterns of reactivities against cultured cell lines tested. They reacted with leukemia cells from some cases of null-ALL, adult T-cell leukemia, and CML-BC, although they showed discordance in their reactivities against a panel of leukemia cells. (iii) NL-9, NL-8, NL-25: These three antibodies detect serologically distinguishable determinants on a broad range of leukemias and normal lymphoid and hematopoietic cell types. The antibodies analyzed in this study provide evidence for the heterogeneity of null-ALL by demonstrating a variety of antigen phenotypes on leukemia cells. One of the antigens (NL-22) appears to be restricted to null-ALL.