Multiparameter Flow Cytometry (MFC) for Identification of the Waldenström's Clone in IgM MGUS and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia (WM): New Criteria for Differential Diagnosis and Risk Stratification

Abstract 936

Demonstration of bone marrow (BM) infiltration by lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma is essential to the diagnosis of WM, and a trephine biopsy is considered mandatory for this assessment. Multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) has demonstrated its clinical relevance in MGUS and myeloma; however, immunophenotypic studies on IgM monoclonal gammopathies are scanty, and focus only in patients with WM.

Herein, MFC immunophenotyping was performed on BM samples from 244 patients, including 67 IgM MGUS, 77 smoldering, and 100 symptomatic WM newly diagnosed patients according to the Second International Workshop. A four color panel that systematically allowed the identification of B cells and plasma cells (PC), and their phenotypic characterization for a total of 24 antigens was used.

We first analyzed the percentage of B cells and PC in BM and the percentage of light chain restricted cells in both compartments. Our results show a progressive increment of B cells from IgM MGUS to smoldering and symptomatic WM (medians of 2%, 9% and 12%; P<.001), as well of light chain restricted B cells (75%, 96% and 99%; P<.001). In contrast, no differences were found for the percentage of PC (median of 0.3%), but light chain restricted PC progressively increased from IgM MGUS to smoldering and symptomatic WM (70%, 85% and 97%; P<.001). Accordingly, only 1% of IgM MGUS patients showed >10% B cells, in contrast to 34% and 55% of smoldering and symptomatic WM (P<.001). Likewise, only 1% of IgM MGUS patients showed 100% light chain restricted B cells, in contrast to 19% and 40% of smoldering and symptomatic WM (P<.001); similar results being also found using a cutoff of 100% light chain restricted PC. Subsequently, we explored whether the percentages of BM and light chain restricted B cells and PC could predict time to progression (TTP) from smoldering into symptomatic WM, as well as overall survival (OS) in symptomatic WM. In smoldering WM, B cells (>10% vs ≤10%: median TTP of 47m vs 145m; P=.016) and light chain restricted B cells (100% vs <100%: 26m vs 145m; P<.001) but not PC, predicted risk of progression. On the multivariate analysis that included serum M-spike (±3g/dL), BM infiltration (±50% lymphoplasmacytic cells), BM B-cells and light chain restricted B cells (by MFC), only the later retained independent prognostic value (HR: 19.8, P=.001). Upon analyzing factors influencing survival in symptomatic WM patients, cases with >10% B cells showed a trend for inferior OS (P=.080), and significant differences emerged when comparing patients with 100% vs <100% light chain restricted B cells (median OS 44m vs 78m; P=.001). The later marker was independent (HR: 2.6; P=.004) of the International Prognostic Scoring System (HR: 2.2; P=.006).

Focusing on the antigenic profiles of B cells and PC, we noted that within the B-cell compartment there was a progressive increment of CD22dim (69%, 92% and 88%; P<.001), CD25+ (61%, 88% and 90%; P<.001) and sIgM+ (88%, 95% and 97%; P=.002) B cells from IgM MGUS to smoldering and symptomatic WM. This underlies that the accumulating light chain restricted clonal B cells show a characteristic Waldenstrom's phenotype (CD22dim/CD25+/IgM+). Of note, a bimodal (from - to +) expression for the B cell memory marker CD27 was found in >50% of WM patients, which raises the possibility that the WM clone may arise, at least in some cases, before antigenic stimulation; subsequent maturation of the clone into PC would explain the typical presence of somatic hypermutations. On the other hand, B-cells from IgM MGUS and WM patients were negative in ≥90% of cases for CD5, CD10, CD11c and CD103, which can be useful to differentiate between WM and other B-NHL. Finally, the antigenic profile of PC in IgM MGUS and WM was similar to that of normal PC, and different from myeloma PC by consistently showing a CD27+ and CD56- phenotype, in addition to sIgM+ expression in ≥87% of all cases. Similarly to B-cells, we also noted that within the PC compartment there was a progressive increment of CD19+, CD45+ and sIgM+ CD20+ PC from IgM MGUS to smoldering and symptomatic WM. This underlies that this transition is asssociated with an accumulation of light chain restricted clonal PC displaying an immature/plasmablastic phenotype.

In summary, our results highlight the potential value of MFC immunophenotyping for the characterization of the Waldenström's clone, as well as for the differential diagnosis, risk of progression and survival in WM.