Subpopulation heterogeneity in human acute myeloid leukemia determined by
monoclonal antibodies
S Pessano, A Palumbo, D Ferrero, GL Pagliardi, L Bottero, SK Lai, P Meo, C Carter, H Hubbell and B Lange
The leukemic population in 63 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
was studied with 15 monoclonal antibodies that detect lineage- related and
stage-related antigens on normal hemopoietic cells. Indirect
immunofluorescence and fluorescence-activated cell sorting showed that
subpopulations of leukemic cells reacted with some or all antibodies, but
the percentage of cells reacting with a single antibody varied widely among
patients. The composite antigenic phenotype of the various cases, as
determined by immunofluorescence assay, did not correlate with the
French-American-British morphological classification. Furthermore, some
cells in each case failed to express any antigen normally expressed on
myelomonocytic precursors from the level of the early CFU-GM to the mature
granulocyte or monocyte. In double-fluorescence experiments, the individual
cells expressed none, one, or both antigens. These results demonstrate that
there is considerable subpopulation heterogeneity in AML. This
heterogeneity may considerably limit or complicate the use of monoclonal
antibodies for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of acute nonlymphocytic
leukemia (ANLL).
Volume 64,
Issue 1,
pp. 275-281,
07/01/1984
Copyright © 1984 by The American Society of Hematology
