title: Production of beta 2-microglobulin by chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells in vitro.
abstract: The in vitro production of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) by leukaemic cells was studied in 22 patients with chronic B-lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). In addition, the concentration of beta 2m in serum (S-beta 2m) was determined and expressed as percent of the upper normal limit, after a correction for elevated S-Creatinine values. Patients with progressive disease usually had CLL cells with a high rate of in vitro synthesis and an increased S-beta 2m. This was not found in patients with non-progressive disease. The in vitro synthesis of beta 2m X the lymphocyte count correlated with S-beta 2m in the total material (r = 0.65). The increased S-beta 2m frequently observed in CLL may therefore originate from the tumour cells. Hence, S-beta 2m is promising as a clinically useful tumour cell-associated marker in CLL.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin