title: Involvement of the complement system in the pathogenesis of pulmonary leukostasis in experimental myelocytic leukemia.
abstract: The role of the complement system in the pathogenesis of pulmonary leukostasis in myelocytic leukemia was studied in a rat model. Acute myelocytic leukemia was induced in six Brown-Norway rats, and complement levels were assayed during the course of the disease. Whole complement activity (CH50) and hemolytic activity of C1q, C3, and C4 decreased from day 16 after induction of the leukemia, when the rats developed pulmonary leukostasis. In addition, local complement activation was established in the lung vessels by immunofluorescence microscopy in advanced stages of pulmonary leukostasis. Finally, following systemic activation of the complement system by injection of cobra venom factor (CVF), leukemic rats (n = 6) died of pulmonary leukostasis 4.5 days earlier than did leukemic controls (n = 6). These findings suggest that, in acute myelocytic leukemia in Brown-Norway rats, pulmonary leukostasis is induced by activation of the complement system. This finding could lead to new modes of treatment for a life-threatening complication of leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, University of Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van Buchem
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Levelt
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hogendoorn
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Colly
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kluin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willemze
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Daha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000502:physiology; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000502:physiology; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications*; D017254:Leukemic Infiltration; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004546:Elapid Venoms; D012709:Serum Albumin; C016310:cobra venom factor; D003165:Complement System Proteins