SURFACE-MEMBRANE DETERMINANTS ON CHILDHOOD ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA CELLS - IMMUNOGLOBULIN, FC AND C3 RECEPTORS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 32  (3) , 523-530
Abstract
Most reports describe 2 populations of childhood ALL [acute lymphocytic leukemia] patients: those with thymic (T) cell receptors and those lacking receptors on their neoplastic cells. Assays for the surface receptors of the T and thymic-independent (B) system were used to study 47 patients with ALL whose bone marrow contained a mean of 85% leukemic cells. Two patients had T cell disease and 36 were non-T and non-B. Nine patients were identified whose leukemic cells had membrane properties associated with the B cell system such as surface immunoglobulin, Fc receptors and/or complement receptors. Combined T and B receptors were found in 1 case. The same surface characteristics were found on leukemic cells from these patients'' bone marrow, blood, pleural and CSF. The leukemic cells were not of monocytic or granulocytic origin. Although a remission was obtained in each patient, the relapse rate of the B cell group was worse than a similarly treated group of 36 non-T, non-B ALL patients (P < 0.001). Initial total leukocyte counts of the B cell group were greater than the non-T, non-B group (P 0.05), but when the patients in both groups with total leukocyte counts greater than 25,000/mm3 were compared, the relapse rate of the B cell patients was significantly worse (P < 0.025). Patients with leukemic cells possessing B cell properties comprise a significant proportion of ALL cases, and their presence on leukemic cells has an ominous significance.