Colony formation of CFU-MK and other hemopoietic progenitors in patients with acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia at diagnosis and following complete remission.
Blood and marrow mononuclear cells were cultured in methylcellulose and plasma clot. In patients with acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) at diagnosis, marrow multipotential progenitors (CFU-Mix), megakaryocyte progenitors (CFU-MK) and granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (CFU-GM) were reduced or undetectable (all p less than 0.01). Two to 4 weeks after completion of induction therapy, marrow CFU-Mix returned to normal level (p greater than 0.05), CFU-MK and CFU-GM reached levels significantly higher than normal controls (both p less than 0.01), and circulating CFU-Mix, CFU-MK and CFU-GM were about 3, 6 and 6 times normal controls respectively (all p less than 0.01). During maintenance therapy CFU-Mix remained in low normal range (p greater than 0.05) and CFU-MK and CFU-GM were significantly reduced (both p less than 0.01). In patients at relapse CFU-Mix was undetectable (p less than 0.01) and CFU-MK and CFU-GM were undetectable or reduced (both p less than 0.01). The percentages of CFU-MK and CFU-GM in cell cycle S-phase as analysed by ara-c suicide technique were 51.4 +/- 5.8 and 52.3 +/- 2.3 two weeks after the completion of induction therapy, and 61.1 +/- 7.9 and 53.8 +/- 8.7 during maintenance therapy, all significantly higher than normal controls (all p less than 0.01). Our results suggest that chemotherapy may not result in severe damage to CFU-Mix, and that cell culture technique may be helpful in assessing prognosis.
Chen
Y
Y
Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Suzhou Medical College, People's Republic of China.
Li
P
P
Lin
B
B
Zhang
G
G
Ruan
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000473:pathology