Human B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: immunohistochemical staining for ZAP-70 antigen. Note staining of malignant lymphocytic leukemic cells and intense staining of infiltrating T lymphocytes. ZAP-70: clone L453R
ZAP-70
zap-70
Antigen Background
ZAP-70 is a member of the syk family of proteins. It is expressed on T cells and NK cells and is required for the T cell receptor activation that triggers an immune response. CLL B cells that express the non-mutated immunoglobulin VH genes express levels of ZAP-70 protein that are comparable to those found in the blood T cells of healthy adults. Leukemic cells that express mutated Ig VH genes generally do not express detectable levels of ZAP-70 protein and this is correlated with the high level expression of CD38.
Disclaimer
ZAP-70 is recommended for the detection of specific antigens of interest in normal and neoplastic tissues, as an adjunct to conventional histopathology using non-immunologic histochemical stains.