CD Markers - CD15

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CD Markers

CD15

Reviewers: Nat Pernick, M.D., PathologyOutlines.com (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 3 January 2011, last major update January 2011
Copyright: (c) 2002-2011, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

General
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● A carbohydrate (not a protein) that is widely used for diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma

Terminology
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● Also known as LeuM1, Lewis X, 3-fucosyl-N-acetyl-lactosamine

Physiology
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● A carbohydrate adhesion molecule (not a protein) that mediates phagocytosis and chemotaxis
● Synthesis is directed by FUT4 (MIM 104230) in lymphoid cells and mature granulocytes, and by FUT9 (MIM 606865) in promyelocytes and monocytes

Uses for pathologists
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● Membranous, diffuse cytoplasmic or Golgi staining of Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin’s lymphoma; CD15 staining is used to confirm diagnosis, or to differentiate Hodgkin's lymphoma (CD15+) from anaplastic large cell lymphoma (usually CD15 negative)
● Helps differentiate between pulmonary adenocarcinoma (CD15+) and mesothelioma (CD15-), although other markers are more specific
● Granulocyte marker
● May help define neural stem cells (Stem Cells 2009;27:2928)

Case reports
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● CD15+ pre-B ALL (Arch Pathol Lab Med 2001;125:1227)

Micro images
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Left-normal kidney, right-normal bone marrow and breast

Hodgkin's lymphoma: membranous, cytoplasmic and golgi staining

Hodgkin's lymphoma: comparison of antibodies

Hodgkin's lymphoma-nodular lymphocyte predominant: LP cells are CD15- but classic RS cells are CD15+

Various images

Renal cell carcinoma-papillary type

Positive stains - normal
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● Myeloid cells and eosinophils; activated B and T cells (including infectious mononucleosis); proximal convoluted tubules of kidney; normal small intestinal Paneth cells (J Clin Pathol 1996;49:474); variable monocytes and basophils

Positive stains - disease
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● Reed-Sternberg cells in classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma and follicular Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Am J Clin Pathol 2002;117:29)
● 50% of carcinomas, including peritoneal / ovarian serous tumors (Am J Surg Pathol 1998;22:1203) and renal cell carcinoma
● Often seen in neoplastic myeloid disorders versus reactive disorders (Am J Clin Pathol 2010;134:749)
● 15% of peripheral T cell lymphomas (Am J Surg Pathol 2003;27:1513, Int J Oncol 2003;22:319)
● 5% of B cell lymphomas, including some B-CLL and pre-pre B ALL (Am J Clin Pathol 2002;117:380, Arch Pathol Lab Med 2001;125:1227)
● Some AML, particularly AML-M4 / M5 (flow cytometry is more sensitive than immunohistochemistry), some granulocytic sarcomas (Histopathology 1999;34:391), some histiocytic sarcomas
● Occasionally anaplastic large cell lymphoma (Am J Clin Pathol 2003;119:205, but usually negative (Am J Surg Pathol 2006;30:223)
● Note: EBV infections can have Reed-Sternberg-like cells that are focally CD15+ (Am J Surg Pathol 2010;34:1715, Am J Surg Pathol 2010;34:405)

Negative stains
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● Non-activated lymphocytes; erythroid cells, histiocytes (usually), osteoblasts, platelets
● LP/L&H cells in nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin’s lymphoma
● Diffuse large B cell lymphoma, hairy cell leukemia, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders, systemic mastocytosis (Hum Pathol 2001;32:545)
● Langerhans cell histiocytosis, mesothelioma at various sites (usually, Hum Path 2001;32:529)

Additional references
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● Quality control for CD15

End of CD Markers > CD15

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