Lineage infidelity of a human myelogenous leukemia cell line
A Palumbo, J Minowada, J Erikson, CM Croce and G Rovera
We have analyzed the organization and expression of the immunoglobulin
heavy and light chain gene in the human myeloblastic leukemic sublines,
ML1, ML2, and ML3, and in the human myeloid leukemic cell lines, HL-60,
U937, THP1, and K562. ML1, ML2, and ML3 cells, despite a predominant
granulocytic phenotype, express a rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy
chain gene that typically occurs during the early stages of the B cell
differentiation pathway. No rearrangement was found in any of the other
cell lines tested. These findings strongly support the notion that, at
least in some cases, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells represent highly
atypical cells with profoundly altered gene expression, rather than cells
arrested at a well-defined stage of the myeloid lineage.
Volume 64,
Issue 5,
pp. 1059-1063,
11/01/1984
Copyright © 1984 by The American Society of Hematology