Heterogeneity of acute undifferentiated leukemia at the immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor genes level.
Phenotypic markers of leukemic cells from 76 children with acute leukemia were examined. Of these cases, 7 were diagnosed as acute undifferentiated leukemia (AUL) whose leukemic cells were negative for myeloperoxidase and did not react with lineage-specific or lineage-associated monoclonal antibodies. Then, we analyzed the configuration of both immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor beta-chain (T beta) gene in these 7 AUL cases. Three cases had no rearrangement of Ig or T beta genes which was suggestive of non-lymphoid origin of these cases. In contrast, 4 cases showed rearrangements of Ig and/or T beta genes. One of these 4 cases demonstrated T beta gene rearrangement with retention of the germline configuration of Ig genes. Two cases with both Ig and T beta gene rearrangements also showed kappa-chain gene rearrangements. These findings indicate the heterogeneity of AUL at the DNA level, and may cast new light on the early differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics*; D007223:Infant; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D004247:DNA