Heterogeneity of cell lineages in L3 leukemias
B Koziner, R Mertelsmann, M Andreeff, Z Arlin, H Hansen, E De Harven, S McKenzie, T Gee, RA Good and B Clarkson
Five cases of adult leukemia with L3 morphology in bone marrow were studied
for the presence of immunologic, metabolic, and enzymatic markers. Among
the five patients, there were four males and female. Median age was 66 with
a range of 16-80 yr. Median survival was only 5 mo. Serum lactate
dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, 3H-thymidine labeling indices, and DNA/RNA
content of the L3 lymphoblasts were markedly elevated. B-cell markers were
found in three cases, two exhibiting surface membrane IgM-lambda, and one
IgG-K. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) enzymatic activity was
consistently low in this group. In one case, the L3 lymphoblasts displayed
only surface Fc receptors demonstrated by the binding of aggregated IgG.
TdT activity was found to be significantly increased. In another instance,
the lymphoblasts formed spontaneous rosettes with sheep erythrocytes and
exhibited paranuclear staining with acid phosphatase. TdT activity was
found to be low. Although most of the L3 leukemias are neoplasias of B
lymphocytes, other lineages may also express this morphology.
Volume 55,
Issue 4,
pp. 694-698,
04/01/1980
Copyright © 1980 by The American Society of Hematology
