Detection of circulating 'terminal transferase-positive' cells does not predict relapse in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Serial samples of peripheral blood were obtained from 35 children with ALL over a period of 18 months. The mononuclear cells were examined for TdT by indirect immunofluorescence using an unpurified anti-calf thymus TdT as the primary antibody. This analysis failed to distinguish those children who were destined to relapse (n = 9) from those who remained in continuous complete remission. Rather, the exhibition of fluorescence was linked to the co-existence of infection, with a negative predictive value of 0.91. Putative 'TdT-positive' cells were concentrated in the T-lymphocyte fraction and the very process of E-rosette formation seemed to contribute to this phenomenon. It appears as if the anti-TdT reagent recognizes not only TdT but also a variety of antigens which are expressed on or in immature and activated lymphocytes.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000201:enzymology*; D012008:Recurrence
D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D004253:DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase