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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Jul 24.
Published in final edited form as: Leukemia. 2017 Jan 16;31(4):788–797. doi: 10.1038/leu.2017.15

Table 1. Clinically relevant antigens expressed in basophils.

Antigen CD Function Biologic/clinical relevance
Surface
    LAMP-3 CD63 TIMP1R Activation antigen (basotesta)
    C5aR CD88 C5aR Complement-dependent activation
    IL-3 RA CD123 IL-3 R Basophil differentiation and viability as well as basophil activation/function
    ENPP3 CD203c n.k. Basophil detection and enumeration; and activation antigen (basotesta)
    FcERI n.c. IgE-R IgE-dependent activation
Cytoplasm
    2D7 n.c. n.k. Basophil detection in tissue sectionsb
    Basogranulin (=BB1) n.c. n.k. Basophil detection in tissue sectionsb
    Histamine n.c. Bioactive amine Clinical symptoms of anaphylaxis
    Tryptase (alpha pro-tryptase) n.c. n.k. Marker of immature basophilsc (also expressed in mast cells)
    HGF n.c. Cytokine Mediator of angiogenesis (highly upregulated in CML)
    VEGF n.c. Cytokine Mediator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability
    IL-4 n.c. Cytokine Multifunctional regulator of the immune system

Abbreviations: C5a, complement factor 5a; ENPP3, ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 3; HGF, hepatocyte growth factor; IL-3R, interleukin-3 receptor; LAMP-3, lysosome-associated membrane protein-3; n.c., not yet clustered; n.k., not know; TIMP1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.

a

Both CD63 and CD203c are widely used as markers of IgE-dependent activation of basophils. In response to IgE-dependent activation, the levels of CD63 and CD203c on basophils increase.

b

Using conventional stains, basophils are not detectable in routinely processed (formalin-fixed) tissue sections, therefore, immunohistochemistry is required for basophil detection.

c

In CML tryptase is a valuable marker of immature basophils.