Klin Onkol 1997; 10(6): 174-179.
Progress in the therapy of multiple myeloma requires new methods for detection of minimal residual disease. The advances and limits of immunophenotypization of multiple myeloma-cells are reviewed. Normal plasma cells are heterogeneous and express monoclonal cytoplasmic immunoglobulin and most commonly the CD38 antigen, the most typical plasma cell marker. Normal plasma cells irregularly express the antigens CD9, CD10, CD13, CD19, CD20, CD22 and HLA-DR. This heterogenity occurs in malignant plasma cells, also. The most common phenotype of myeloma cells is: cIg+, CD38+, CD54+, cD56+. In addition to CD38 myeloma cells express in low frequency the antigens: CD9, CD10, HLA-DR, CD20, other non B-cell lineage markers such as myeloid (CD13, CD14, CD15, CD33, CD41, glycophorin A), T-cell CD2, CD4, as well as CD 23, CD24, CD25, CD37, CD39, CDw40, and CD45R, CD71. and certain unclustered antigens (R1-3, PCA-1, PCA-2, PC1, 62B1, 8F6, and MM4).
Some of this antigens may have a prognostic value. The expression of CD20 and of myelomonocytic antigen CD11b, CD13, CD14+, CD15 and CD33 may be related to poor prognosis. The negative prognostic implication of the expression of CD10 initially described in multiple myeloma has not been subsequently confirmed. Patients with multiple myeloma may have mononuclear cells in their peripheral blood that express the same antigens as those expressed by myeloma cells in bone marrow. The presence of such cells and their precursors or their therapy associated decrease od disappearance may be related to the prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma.
