THE EXPRESSION OF MYELOID-SPECIFIC ANTIGENS ON MYELOID-LEUKEMIA CELLS - CORRELATIONS WITH LEUKEMIA SUBCLASSES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NORMAL MYELOID DIFFERENTIATION

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 61  (3) , 456-463
Abstract
The expression of 3 distinct myeloid-specific cell surface antigens detected by monoclonal antibodies (PMN 6, PMN 29 and AML-2-23) on acute and chronic myeloid leukemia cells is correlated with blast cell morphology and normal myeloid cell antigen display. In studies on normal peripheral blood cells, monoclonal antibodies PMN 6 and PMN 29 were previously shown to react exclusively with neutrophils while AML-2-23 reacts with neutrophils and monocytes. Here, these antigens are shown to be absent from blast cells of patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) classified as M1 and M2 in the French-American-British system and chronic myelocytic leukemia in myeloid blast crisis. Leukemia cells with myelomonocytic morphology (M4) expressed all 3 antigens, while cells with pure monocytic features (M5) were generally only positive for AML-2-23. Based on the absence of these antigens on both leukemic and normal myeloblasts and granulocye-monocyte progenitors and their characteristic patterns of display on more differentiated leukemic and normal cells, a modified concept of normal myelopoiesis is proposed. In this hypothesis, the myeloblast is an uncommitted cell that gives rise to a series of intermediate precursors that acquire committment to the granulocytic or monocytic lineage marked by the acquisition of specific cell surface markers.