NONSPECIFIC ESTERASE OF LYMPHOCYTES-B FROM A CASE OF CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA AND OF NORMAL LYMPHOCYTES-T - SIMILAR CONSTELLATIONS OF ISOENZYMES

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 60  (1) , 24-29
Abstract
Lymphocytes from a patient with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were obtained in a highly purified state from a therapeutic leukapheresis preparation. The CLL lymphocytes showed a fine, scattered, granular pattern of nonspecific esterase cytochemical reactivity with either .alpha.-naphthyl acetate (.alpha.NA) or .alpha.-naphthyl butyrate (.alpha.NB) substrate as opposed to the more focal pattern of control (T) lymphocytes. Nonspecific esterase of CLL lymphocytes and normal control lymphocytes was equally resistant to inhibition by F-. Extractable nonspecific esterases from the CLL lymphocytes and from purified normal T lymphocytes were indistinguishable in regard to specific activity, substrate specificity, pH optima and zymogram profiles on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 9.5 and pH 4.0. Zymograms of .alpha.NA esterase and .alpha.NB esterase prepared by isoelectric focusing were also similar, with no unequivocal differences. B lymphocytes contain detectable nonspecific esterase, B lymphocytes from this case of CLL contained a constellation of isoenzymes similar to that of normal T lymphocytes. This is interpreted as a reflection of the close kinship of these cells.