Circulating colony-forming units of granulocytes/monocytes in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia before and during busulfan treatment.
The number of colony-forming units of granulocytes/monocytes (CFU-GM) in the peripheral blood of 7 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase (CP) receiving standard doses of busulfan (BSF, 0.1-0.2 mg/kg/day p.o.) was compared to that found in 8 patients with CML in CP not previously treated in order to establish if non-myeloablative chemotherapy mobilizes committed granulomonocytic progenitor cells into the circulation. The number (mean +/- SEM) of spontaneous CFU-GM in untreated patients was similar to that recorded in 10 sex- and age-matched controls, 2.6 +/- 1.9 and 3.5 +/- 2.1, respectively. BSF-treated patients showed significantly more spontaneous CFU-GM (13.9 +/- 7.5) than controls and untreated patients. Addition of recombinant human granulocyte/monocyte colony-stimulating factor to cultures promoted colony growth in controls but not in untreated and BSF-treated patients. These data seemingly indicate that: 1) administration of standard non-myeloablative doses of BSF to patients with CML in CP mobilizes CFU-GM into the circulation and 2) BSF therapy selects a granulomonocytic colony-forming progenitor cell population with increased autonomous growth potential. These findings may contribute to the understanding of the therapeutic role of BSF in CML.
Hematology Department, Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Tlalpan, Mexico, D.F.
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X
López-Karpovitch
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Cárdenas
J
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Piedras
D000328:Adult; D002066:Busulfan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology*
D002066:Busulfan