RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INVITRO COLONY-FORMING ABILITY AND EXPRESSION OF IA-LIKE ANTIGEN OF ACUTE NONLYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA (ANLL) CELLS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 56  (5) , 859-865
Abstract
In vitro colony-forming ability of untreated acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) cells [from humans] determined by the CFU-C [granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cell] assay with and without PHA [phytohemagglutinin] presensitization, and also human Ia[immune response-associated]-like antigen of their surfaces were investigated. In vitro colony-forming ability of 32 ANLL was classified into 4 types: no colony growth (16), PHA-dependent colony growth (9), colony-stimulating factor (CSF) dependent colony growth (5), and CSF and PHA independent colony growth (2). The pattern of 12 normal bone marrow cells corresponded to type C. Leukemic cells were Ia-positive in type A, negative or weakly positive in type B and negative in type C. Colonies as seen in types B and C consisted mostly of monocytes-macrophages with myeloid cells at varying stages of maturation up to metamyelocyte. Incubation of type A ANLL cells with anti-Ia serum followed by PHA presensitization resulted in development of colonies in some analyzed cases with moderately positive Ia-like antigen. Correlation of in vitro colony-forming ability with the expression of human Ia-like antigen of ANLL cells indicated not only a hematologic heterogeneity of ANLL in differentiation and proliferation but also biologic significance of Ia-like antigen in reference to functional maturation of ANLL cells.