Comparison of acute myeloid leukemia occurring de novo or preceded by a myelodysplastic stage: differences in cellular DNA content.
The DNA content of bone marrow cells in patients with acute leukemia preceded by a myelodysplastic stage (MDS-AML) was compared to that in patients with de novo AML. We studied granulocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, and blasts/promyelocytes from Feulgen-stained bone marrow smears of 11 patients with de novo AML, ten patients with MDS-AML, and 13 apparently healthy controls. The mean amount of DNA per cell (DNA index; DI) in each cell population was determined using a digital video-based image-analyzing system (CAS-100). Analysis of variance (F test) showed a significant difference in the DNA content between de novo AML on one hand and MDS-AML and controls on the other as regards to blasts/promyelocytes (P < 0.01), lymphocytes (P < 0.05), and monocytes (P < 0.01), respectively. In three of 11 (27%) patients with de novo AML, a lower than normal limit DI was found both in immature and mature bone marrow cells. Patients with MDS-AML had those of DI values similar to normal controls. In consequence, a significantly reduced mean DI was found in patients with de novo AML in blasts/promyelocytes (P < 0.01), and monocytes (P < 0.05) compared to both normal controls and MDS-AML. Together with data published separately, suggesting differences in granulocyte morphology, clonality, and HLA-DR expression, these data suggest biological differences between the two diseases.
Widell
S
S
Department of Medicine, Karolinska Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Auer
G
G
Hast
R
R
Reizenstein
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000737:chemistry; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007948:Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D015479:Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000150:complications*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm