CD23

CD23 is a low-affinity IgE receptor, is predominantly expressed by mature IgD-positive B lymphocytes and follicular denritic cells. The antibody BU38 will work on fixed tissue², although staining is not considered entirely reliable in paraffin sections by all.

Immunohistochemical expression

• activated B cells of germinal centres

• dendritic (ateroid) B cells of thymus¹

• most CLLs; staining may be more intense in the proliferation centres³. Staining is often retained in transformed CLL. CLL with plasmacytic differentiation may be negative for CD23⁴.

• not mantle cell lymphomas, although the dendritic cells in residual follicles and in large disorder meshworks will stain².

• 15-20% of follicle centre cell lymphomas¹

• mediastinal large B-cell lymphomas but usually not other nodal DLBCLs or extra-nodal DLBCLs¹

• the Reed-Sternberg cells of classical Hodgkin's disease

Diagnostic utility

• Diagnosis of mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma

References

¹ Calaminici, M., K. Piper, et al. (2004). "CD23 expression in mediastinal large B-cell lymphomas." Histopathology 45(6): 619-24.

² Kumar S, Green GA, Teruya-Feldstein J, et al. Use of CD23 (BU38) on paraffin sections in the diagnosis of small lymphocytic lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma. Mod Pathol 1996; 9:925-9

³ Lampert IA, Wotherspoon A, Van Noorden S, et al. High expression of CD23 in the proliferation centers of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in lymph nodes and spleen. Hum Pathol 1999; 30:648-54

⁴ Dorfman DM,Pinkus GS Distinction between small lymphocytic and mantle cell lymphoma by immunoreactivity for CD23. Mod Pathol 1994; 7:326-31

©SMUHT/PW Bishop