Hamatologie und Bluttransfusion最新文献

Differentiation of hemopoietic cells appears to depend upon specific interactions of certain cell-factors. The phenotypic abnormality in leukemia may involve an impairment in these interactions. In this report we present some of our views of leukemogenesis with respect to cell-factor interaction and the feasibility of experimental approaches to this problem. In culture, the interaction of myelogenous cells with factor(s) leading to differentiation can be measured either with a suspension mass culture method or by a solid (semi-soft) clonal method. The protein factors that support the growth of hemopoietic cells in suspension culture are termed growth stimulating factors (GSA) and in semi-solid culture, colony stimulating factors (CSA). Studies using conditioned medium prepared from phytohemagglutinin stimulated human lymphocytes (PHA-LyCM) and whole human embryo cells (WHE) revealed that GSA and CSA were not identical for growth of either normal human or leukemic leukocytes. In some cases maturation of leukemic leukocytes was observed. Fractionation of PHA-LyCM showed that there are three peaks for CSA. Each peak contains different fractions for supporting cellular proliferation, differentiation, and self-renewal of precursor cells in suspension culture. Apparently, each contains heterogenous species of protein factors some of which functionally overlap, while others do not.

In most systems involving cellular differentiation and cellular transformation the biological process is non-synchronous and the sample heterogeneous. In order to answer some of the basic questions about the control mechanisms of cellular changes and the order in which they proceed one must have access to homogeneous classes of cells. Friend virus transformed erythroid cells which are stably maintained in tissue culture can be chemically induced to differentiate and are thus very advantageous for in vitro studies (1-3). With such a system the questions which we pose are a) the reversibility of the differentiation process; b) the order of steps in the production of specialized messenger RNA; c) the time of shut-off of undifferentiated messenger production; d) the relationship of viral RNA production to the differentiation process; e) the onset and extent of specific protein synthesis; f) the correlation of DNA metabolism with the timing or course of events. By using a computer-controlled cell separator we can select live cells on the basis of their macromolecular content, membrane properties (using a new parameter, fluorescence emission anisotropy), and size (4, 5, 34). Thus with proper probes as described here, we are able to select cells at different stages in their differentiation and can begin to attack the questions posed above.

Cell surface binding fluorescent ligands have been used to distinguish between different types of leukaemic cells and between leukaemic cells and their presumed normal counterparts or progenitors. Binding of these probes was evaluated using the Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS) which provides both rapid, objective and quantitative recording of fluorescent signals from individual cells plus physical separation of cells of particular interest. Binding sites for cholera toxin (monosialoganglioside GM1) were found to be normally expressed in chronic leukaemias but greatly diminished or absent in acute leukaemias irrespective of their morphological type. Antibodies specific for the common form of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL, non-T, non-B) have been produced in rabbits. After extensive absorption and testing these were shown to define a cell surface antigen of non-T, non-B type ALLs. The antigen is absent from other leukaemias with two interesting exceptions--the majority of acute undifferentiated leukaemias express the antigen as do a proportion of chronic granulocytic leukaemias in blast crisis relapse. The anti-ALL antibodies can therefore be used to distinguish different leukaemias and, more significantly, can identify the existence of relatively rare leukaemic cells in the blood of untreated patients and the marrow of treated patients considered to be in remission.