CD Markers CD1 to CD49

Last revised 21 July 2008

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Go to CD 50-99

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Primary references

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American Journal of Clinical Pathology (AJCP), August 1975 to February 2006

American Journal of Surgical Pathology (AJSP), March 1977 to February 2006

Archives of Pathology and Lab Medicine (Archives), January 1976 to February 2006

Human Pathology (Hum Path), March 1970 to February 2006

Modern Pathology (Mod Path), January 1988 to February 2006

Rosai, J:  Ackerman’s Surgical Pathology (9th Ed); Mosby, 2004

Sternberg, S: Diagnostic Surgical Pathology (4th Ed); Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Case Reports, cases 1-462

CD Marker websites: http://ca.expasy.org/cgi-bin/lists?cdlist.txt, Protein Reviews On the Web, http://www.ebioscience.com/ebioscience/whatsnew/humancdchart.htm

 

Background

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CD: cluster designation or cluster of differentiation

Nomenclature proposed in 1982 at First International Workshop and Conference on Human Leukocyte Differentiation Antigens (HLDA); workshops now called Human Cell Differentiation Molecules

Classification system for monoclonal antibodies generated by laboratories worldwide against cell surface molecules on leukocytes initially, now also antigens from other cell types

Data collated and analyzed by cluster analysis based on pattern of binding to leukocytes or other cell types

Must be at least two monoclonal antibodies for each antigen

w" indicates the CD is not well characterized or is represented by only one monoclonal antibody

Interpretation should be based on cellular distribution of staining (i.e. membranous, cytoplasmic, nuclear), proportion of positively stained cells, staining intensity and cutoff levels

Used in immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry

References: J Immunol 1994;152:1, Bull World Health Organ 1997;75:385, J Immunol Methods 2003;275:1-8, Blood 2005;106:3123

 

CD1

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Family of non-polymorphic MHC class I-like glycoproteins on surface of various antigen-presenting cells

Member of immunoglobulin superfamily

Has 5 different subsets (CD1a - CD1e), all noncovalently associated with beta 2 microglobulin, all on #1q22-23 (non MHC linked)

The different CD1 forms bind to different types of lipid antigen based on differences in their antigen binding grooves (Nat Rev Immunol 2005;5:387)

Cellular infection with live Mycobacteria tuberculosis or exposure to mycobacterial cell wall products converts CD1 negative myeloid precursors into competent CD1+ antigen presenting cells (J Immunol 2005;175:1758); pollen lipids are also recognized as antigens by T cells via CD1 dependent pathway (J Exp Med 2005;202:295); may generate inflammatory component in atherosclerotic lesions (Am J Pathol 1999;155:775)

Inhibition of CD1 expression may be a mechanism of immune system evasion by metastatic melanoma (Am J Path 2004;165:1853), Leishmania donovani (Infect Immun 2004;72:589), and some Mycobacterial infections

Function: involved in presentation of autologous and bacterial lipid antigens to T cells; may also mediate thymic T cell development

Uses: diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis

Positive staining (normal): cortical thymocytes (70%), activated T cells, Langerhans cells, interdigitating dendritic cells

Positive staining (disease): Langerhans cell histiocytosis, pre T ALL with cortical thymocyte phenotype; indolent T cell lymphoblastic proliferations (AJSP 1999;23:977; AJSP 2001;25:411), thymoma (Jpn J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2003;51:481)

Negative staining: mature peripheral T cells, peripheral T cell lymphomas

 

CD1a

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Also called Leu6

On chromosome 1q22-23 (not MHC linked)

T cell surface antigen important in dendritic cell presentation of glycolipids and lipopeptide antigens

May activate intrathyroidal T cells in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease (J Immunol 2005;174:3773)

Interpretation: membranous staining

Uses: diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis and exclusion of other entities that are CD1a negative

Micro images: Langerhans cell histiocytosis - (1)  lung; (2) thyroid; (3) leprosy patient; (4) skin #1; (5) site unknown #1; #2; (6) cytology

other - (7) CD1a+ Langerhans cells in normal skin; (8) CD1a+ cortical thymocytes in normal thymus; (9) psoriasis

Positive staining (normal): cortical thymocytes, Langerhans cells (Langerin+, CD86+), immature dendritic cells (Langerin-, CD86-, HLA-DR low, CD40-low)

Positive staining (disease): Langerhans cell histiocytosis (fairly specific), myeloid leukemias, mycosis fungoides (variable), almost all cutaneous T cell lymphomas, T-ALL (age 28-60 years, AJCP 2002;117:252), dendritic cells in dermis/epidermis of benign inflammatory skin disorders including pseudolymphomatous folliculitis (AJSP 1999;23:1313), spongiotic dermatitis and lichen planus (Arch Dermatol Res 2002;294:297), psoriasis (J Cutan Pathol 1995;22:223); Barrett’s metaplasia of esophagus (Br J Cancer 2005;92:888), monocytes in most sickle cell anemia patients (Hum Immunol 2004;65:1370)

Negative staining: normal B cells, dendritic cells in most cutaneous B cell lymphomas (AJCP 2001;116:72), histiocytic lymphoma / sarcoma, histiocytoma, follicular dendritic cells, follicular dendritic cell tumor, interdigitating dendritic cells (variable, AJSP 1998;22:1048, AJCP 2001;115:589), interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma, dendritic cell neurofibroma, juvenile xanthogranuloma, sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, Erdheim-Chester disease

References: AJSP 2001;25:630 (Langerhans cell histiocytosis), J Clin Invest 2004;113:701 (Langerhans cells), OMIM 188370

 

CD1b

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On chromosome 1q22-23 (not MHC linked); noncovalently associated with beta2 microglobulin

Can present to antigen presenting cells a set of glycolipid species with broad range of variation in length of acyl chains (J Immunol 2004;172:2382), including those from pathogenic Mycobacteria tuberculosis and Mycobacteria leprae to cytotoxic T cells

Uses: no significant clinical use by pathologists

Micro images: leprosy patient

Positive staining (normal): cortical thymocytes, Langerhans cells (weaker staining than CD1a), myeloid dendritic cells, brain pyramidal cells, subpopulation of B cells

Positive staining (disease): dendritic cells in mycosis fungoides (J Cutan Pathol 1995;22:223); myeloid leukemias, some B and T cell malignancies, monocytes of most sickle cell anemia patients (Hum Immunol 2004;65:1370)

Negative staining: normal B cells

References: OMIM 188360

 

CD1c

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On chromosome 1q22-23 (not MHC linked); noncovalently associated with beta 2 microglobulin

Activated by phospholipid antigen produced by Mycobacteria tuberculosis and M. bovis Bacille-Calmette-Guerin (J Exp Med 2004;200:1559, Nature 2000;404:884); assists with presentation of lipid antigens

May activate intrathyroidal T cells in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease (J Immunol 2005;174:3773); may promote autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (J Immunol 2000;165:5338)

B-CLL cells downregulate CD1c genes, which may mediate evasion of immune response (Leukemia 2002;16:2429)

Uses: no significant clinical use by pathologists

Positive staining (normal): cortical thymocytes, Langerhans cells (weaker than CD1a), immature myeloid dendritic cells, subset of normal peripheral B cells, activated T cells

Positive staining (disease): dendritic cells in mycosis fungoides (J Cutan Pathol 1995;22:223); myeloid leukemias and some B and T cell malignancies, monocytes of most sickle cell anemia patients (Hum Immunol 2004;65:1370)

Negative staining: many normal B cells

References: OMIM 188340

 

CD1d

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On chromosome 1q22-23 (not MHC linked)

NK T cells are defined as CD1d dependent T cells that carry an invariant TCR alpha-chain and produce high levels of cytokines

CD1d is expressed in NK T cells active in autoimmune diabetes, tumor rejection and some microbial infections

May protect against lipid antigen-rich infectious microbes on human scalp (J Clin Pathol 2005;58:1278)

B-CLL cells downregulate CD1d genes, which may mediate evasion of immune response (Leukemia 2002;16:2429)

Uses: no significant clinical use by pathologists

Positive staining (normal): dendritic cells, intestinal epithelial cells, B cell subset, NK T cell subset (Immunol Lett 2005;100:42, J Immunol 2005;175:4416), low levels in thymus and monocytes

Positive staining (disease): some B and T cell malignancies; keratinocytes in psoriasis

References: OMIM 188410

 

CD1e

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On chromosome 1q22-23 (not MHC linked); noncovalently associated with beta 2 microglobulin

Processes mycobacterial antigen (instead of presenting antigen directly), and helps expand repertoire of glycolipid T cell antigens to optimize the immune response (Science 2005;310:1321); presentment is done by CD1b

Uses: no significant clinical use by pathologists

Positive staining (normal): dendritic cells

References: OMIM 188411

 

CD2

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Also called E rosette receptor (anti-CD2 antibodies inhibit formation of rosettes with sheep erythrocytes), LFA2 (leukocyte function antigen), T11

At 1p13.1; member of immunoglobulin superfamily

Early T cell marker

Functions: (a) binds CD58 (LFA3) on antigen-presenting cells, which enables T cells to respond to lower concentrations of antigen (J Exp Med 1999;190:1383); (b) induces costimulatory signals in T cells (c) induces T cell cytokine production; (d) mediates adhesion between T cells and antigen presenting cells; (e) regulates T and NK-mediated cytolysis; (f) inhibits apoptosis of activated peripheral T cells; (g) regulates T cell anergy

Uses: T cell marker (although CD3 is more common), marker of systemic mastocytosis

Interpretation: membranous staining

Micro images: T cell lymphoma-site unknown; pyothorax associated lymphoma

Positive staining (normal): thymocytes (95%), mature peripheral T cells (almost all), NK cells (80-90%), thymic B cells (50%)

Positive staining (disease): T-ALL, other T cell lymphoma/leukemia, indolent systemic mastocytosis (Hum Path 2001;32:545), variable acute myeloid lymphoma-M0, rarely pyothorax associated B cell lymphoma (AJSP 2002;26:724, Univ Pittsburgh case report), rarely Reed-Sternberg/Hodgkin’s cells (Mod Path 2005;18:1542), rarely myeloma (Mod Path 1990;3:302), rarely myeloid leukemia

Negative staining: B cells, nonhematopoietic neoplasms (AJCP 2003;120:64), mast cells in non-mastocytosis disorders

 

CD2R

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CD2 epitope present on activated T cells, unmasked by conformational change of CD2 glycoprotein during activation

Uses: no significant clinical use by pathologists

Positive staining (normal): activated T cells

Positive staining (disease): blood and synovial fluid T cells in rheumatoid arthritis; peripheral blood T cells in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, ankylosing spondylitis and Lyme disease (Scand J Immunol 1991;34:351)

 

CD3

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Also called OKT3

Member of immunoglobulin superfamily on 11q23

Complex of delta, epsilon, gamma, zeta and eta chains of integral membrane glycoproteins that associates with T cell antigen receptor (TCR), and is required for TCR cell surface expression and signal transduction

TCR-CD3 complex consists of either TCR alpha/beta or TCR gamma/delta heterodimers coexpressed at the cell surface with CD3

CD3 delta and epsilon defects cause autosomal recessive severe combined immunodeficiency (no T cells, normal B cells, normal NK cells, OMIM 608971, Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;4:479)

CD3 zeta interacts with HIV Nef protein (J Exp Med 1999;189:1489)

Uses: most specific T cell antibody; diminished expression in T cell cutaneous lymphoma (AJCP 2000;114:467), although another study finds CD8:CD3 ratio <25% in epidermal component of lymphocytic infiltrate in these tumors (Mod Path 2003;16:857); treatment with anti-CD3 antibodies may restore self-tolerance in autoimmune diseases (Curr Opin Immunol 2005;17:632, Ann NY Acad Sci 2004;1037:1)

Interpretation: cytoplasmic expression at early T cell differentiation, then membranous expression

Micro images:

NK/T cell lymphoma: (1) testes-CD3 epsilon+ (figure 3D); (2) head & neck

reactive T cells: (3) acute cellular rejection; (4) autoimmune thyroiditis (figure 3)

Additional images: intraepithelial lymphocytes in duodenum (figure 1b); increased intraepithelial lymphocytes at villous tip (figure 2c)

Virtual slides: diffuse large B cell lymphoma (CD3+ reactive T cells)

Positive staining (normal): thymocytes, peripheral T cells, NK cells (CD3 epsilon, cytoplasmic in 56%, not membranous); also Purkinje cells of cerebellum; note: nonspecific cytoplasmic staining may be present in plasma cells and macrophages

Positive staining (disease): 80% of T cell lymphomas, NK lymphoma (cytoplasmic, not membranous), lymphomatoid granulomatosis, lymphomatoid papulosis; variable in primary effusion lymphoma and pyothorax associated lymphoma

Negative staining: most B cell lymphomas, NK large granular lymphocyte leukemia, Reed-Sternberg cells are negative in Hodgkin’s lymphoma but may be surrounded by CD3 epsilon+ rosettes, small cell carcinoma, melanoma, granulocytic sarcoma, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders

References: OMIM 186790 (CD3 delta), OMIM 186830 (CD3 epsilon), OMIM 186740 (CD3 gamma), OMIM 186780 (CD3 zeta); AJCP 2005;124:199 (adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma), AJSP 2001;25:1413 (achalasia in esophagectomy specimens)

 

CD4

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Also called OKT4

At #12pter-p12

Nonpolymorphous glycoproteins belonging to immunoglobulin superfamily

Expressed on surface of T helper cells; serves as coreceptor in MHC class II-restricted antigen induced T cell activation

CD4+ CD25+ T cells maintain peripheral tolerance and prevent autoimmunity (Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2005;293:115)

Serves as HIV receptor on T cells, macrophages, brain

Downregulated by HIV Nef protein during AIDS progression (J Virol 2003;77:11536, J Biol Chem 2003;278:33912)

Normally CD4 > CD8; in HIV patients, CD4/CD8 ratio is inverted (i.e. CD4 < CD8) and patients are at risk for opportunistic infections

Homologous to CD223

Uses: classify lymphomas and inflammatory conditions; serum levels are marker of HIV disease progression and response to therapy (CD4+ cells are killed by HIV); serum levels also increased by transient stress (AJCP 2002;117:819)

Drawings: (1) CD4+ T cell and antigen presenting cell; (2) HIV entry into T cells

Positive staining (normal): thymocytes (80-90%), T helper cells, macrophages, Langerhans cells, dendritic cells, granulocytes

Positive staining (disease): many post-thymic T cell leukemia/lymphomas, indolent T cell lymphoblastic proliferation, pityriasis lichenoides, CD4+ CD56+ hematodermic malignancies (blastic NK lymphoma), histiocytic lymphoma / sarcoma, acute myeloid leukemia (AJCP 1995;104:204), some pyothorax associated lymphomas, cutaneous lymphomatoid granulomatosis (AJSP 2001;25:1111), lymphomatoid papulosis (variable), florid antiviral inflammatory response (Mod Path 2003;16:166)

Negative staining: NK cells, T cell lymphoma with cytotoxic phenotype, hepatosplenic alpha/beta and gamma/delta lymphoma, enteropathy associated T cell lymphoma, B cell lymphoma (usually), Hodgkin’s lymphoma (usually), nonhematopoietic neoplasms

References: Cell 1985;42:93 (early article), OMIM 186940

 

CD5

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Belongs to ancient scavenger receptor superfamily; at 11q13

CD5+ B cells, which may arise from B-1 cells (subset of B cells) produce “generalist antibodies” - polyreactive low affinity "natural" antibodies to exogenous antigens (tetanus toxoid, lipopolysaccharide) as well as autoreactive antibodies (Immunol Lett 1993;38:159)

First line of defense against antigens; have a low activation threshold; are the only line of defense for those who cannot produce specific antibody

Produce antibodies using germ line (non mutated) configuration of gene segments, usually IgM

CD5 production is elevated in rheumatoid arthritis (27-52% of circulating B cells vs. 20% normal)

CD5 may serve as a dual receptor, giving either stimulatory or inhibitory signals depending both on the cell type and the development stage

Key regulator of immune tolerance; abnormalities may produce autoimmunity (Immunol Res 2002;26:255)

Binds to CD72

Polymorphism in CD5 promoter associated with susceptibility to mantle cell lymphoma and CLL (AJCP 2005;123:646)

Uses: marker for CLL, mantle cell lymphoma, T cells (normal and malignant), thymic carcinoma

Micro images: (1) mantle cell lymphoma (figure 3D); (2) thymic carcinoma (nonkeratinizing squamous cell subtype); (3) CD5+ T-Cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (figure 3D)

Flow cytometry images: mantle cell lymphoma #1 with coexpression of CD5 and CD19; #2

Positive staining (normal): thymocytes, almost all T cells, B cells of mantle zone of spleen and lymph nodes (12% of B cells in peripheral blood, AJCP 2004;121:368), B cells in peritoneal and pleural cavities

In fetus, most B cells in spleen and cord blood are CD5 positive

Positive staining (disease): B cell CLL/SLL, mantle cell lymphoma (80-90%), diffuse large B cell lymphoma (10%-usually aggressive), aggressive variant of follicular lymphoma (rare, AJCP 2005;124:182), most T cell malignancies, NK/T cell lymphoma (variable), prolymphocytic leukemia, atypical thymoma (some), thymic carcinoma (almost all), CASTLE (thyroid tumor)

Negative staining: enteropathy associated T cell lymphoma, hepatosplenic alpha-beta and gamma-delta T cell lymphomas, T cell large granular lymphocytic lymphoma, most B cell lymphomas other than mantle cell or CLL (although there rarely are CD5+ variant forms), Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin’s lymphoma

References: OMIM 153340

 

CD6

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Belongs to ancient scavenger receptor superfamily; at #11q13

Adhesion molecule mediating the binding of developing thymocytes with thymic epithelial cells

Antibodies to CD6 are used to deplete T cells from bone marrow transplants to prevent graft versus host disease (J Clin Oncol 2001;19:1152, Int J Hematol 1999;69:27)

Binds to CD166 (ALCAM); essential for stable T cell-antigen presenting cell contact and for T cell proliferation (Blood 2006;107:3212)

Uses: see above for bone marrow transplants

Positive staining (normal): low levels on immature (cortical) thymocytes, high levels on mature (medullary) thymocytes; also mature T cells, B cell subset (B1a cells), CNS cells

References: OMIM 186720

 

CD7

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Member of immunoglobulin superfamily at 17q25.2-25.3

Has costimulatory activity for T cells (Immunol Res 2001;24:31)

Membrane expression early during T cell development, before TCR rearrangement; persists until terminal stages of T cell development

Plays important role in T cell-B cell interaction in early lymphoid development

Downregulated in infectious mononucleosis (AJCP 2003;120:49)

Loss of CD7 expression and altered cellular glycosylation may contribute to apoptosis resistance of malignant T cells in mycosis fungoides (Mod Path 2003;16:543)

Uses: may be useful in identifying mycosis fungoides

Micro images: (1) normal tonsil; (2) intestinal T cell lymphoma

Positive staining (normal): thymocytes, mature T cells (85%), NK cells (majority), monocytes, pluripotent hematopoietic progenitor cells, early myeloid cells, pre-B cells

Positive staining (disease): T-ALL (very good marker) and other malignant immature T cells, NK lymphomas, rarely B cell lymphomas (AJCP 2001;115:396), AML (some), chronic myelogenous leukemia, Down’s syndrome associated transient myeloproliferative disorder and AML (AJCP 2001;116:204), lymphocyte rich thymoma (AJCP 2004;121:268), pancreatic ductal carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and epithelioid sarcoma (AJCP 2003;120:64);

Negative expression: mature B cells, granulocytes, B cell ALL, mycosis fungoides, adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma, Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Mod Path 2005;18:1542)

References: OMIM 186820

 

CD8

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Also called T cell suppressor/cytotoxic cells, OKT8

Cell surface glycoprotein, member of immunoglobulin superfamily; at 2p12

Heterodimer of an alpha and a beta chain linked by two disulfide bonds; heterodimer on thymocytes and homodimer on peripheral blood T cells