Elastase activity in leukemic cells.
Elastase, a proteolytic enzyme which digests different clotting factors, has previously been isolated from monocytes, macrophages and granulocytes. In the present work, we have isolated leukemic cells from 1 patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and from 6 patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia. Detectable elastase activity was found in the cells from all patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia and ranged from 0.016 to 0.619 mukat/l/micrograms DNA. The highest elastase activity was found in 1 patient with promyelocytic leukemia (M3), and no activity was found in the cells from the patient with ALL. It is possible that elastase-mediated proteolysis of coagulation factors is the mechanism responsible for bleeding complications which are frequent in M3.
Törnebohm
E
E
Department of Internal Medicine, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
Lockner
D
D
Paul
C
C
Egberg
N
N
D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D006474:Hemorrhagic Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000032:analysis*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology*
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase