The expression of carbonic anhydrase II in hematological malignancies.
OBJECTIVE
Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are key enzymes that regulate acid-base homeostasis in both normal and pathological conditions. Recent studies have shown that they are functionally involved in the growth and invasion of cancer cells. However, there are only a few publications on CAs in hematological malignancies.


METHODS
Here we investigated the presence of CA isozymes in six malignant hematopoietic cell lines and malignant blast cells of bone marrow samples collected from patients with acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.


RESULTS
Because three of the malignant hematopoietic cell lines expressed CA II, we also set out to examine its expression in a series of bone marrow samples. Positive reactions were found in 16 of 26 cases (62%) of acute myeloid leukemia, 11 of 15 cases (73%) of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and 1 of 2 cases (50%) of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that CA II expression is not restricted to only one cell lineage but may result from a genetic aberration that occurs in both myeloid and lymphatic lineages or in their progenitor cell. Because CA II is expressed in most patients with leukemic blast cells, CA inhibitors may prove to be of value as an adjunct to chemotherapy for such cancers.
Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Clinical Chemistry,University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland.
Mari
M
Leppilampi
Pirjo
P
Koistinen
Eeva-Riitta
ER
Savolainen
Jokke
J
Hannuksela
Anna-Kaisa
AK
Parkkila
Onni
O
Niemelä
Silvia
S
Pastoreková
Jaromir
J
Pastorek
Abdul
A
Waheed
William S
WS
Sly
Seppo
S
Parkkila
Hannu
H
Rajaniemi
D000208:Acute Disease; D000754:Anemia, Refractory, with Excess of Blasts / Q000378:metabolism; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism; D024402:Carbonic Anhydrase II / Q000378:metabolism*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000201:enzymology*; D015479:Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / Q000201:enzymology*; D015477:Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000201:enzymology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D018952:Antigens, CD34; D024402:Carbonic Anhydrase II