The interaction and functional properties of leukocyte molecules of human leukemia/lymphoma cells.

The expression of 82 cell surface molecules was analysed on pathological cells from 52 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T and B), acute myeloid leukemia (FAB: M0, M1, M2, M3, M4, M5), chronic myeloid leukemia, chronic myelo-monocytic leukemia) and non Hodgkin's lymphoma (T and B types). We have selected patients with a high leukocyte count and percentage of blasts. Staining for membrane molecules was done by the immunofluorescence method and evaluated by flow cytometry. The findings indicate that expression of membrane molecules on pathological cells is quantitatively and qualitatively different in individual cases. The leukemia/lymphoma cells in their crude from represent the main phenotypes of normal haematopoietic cells, which reveal the great diversity of immunophenotypes within the main functional characterization of blood malignancies. The immunophenotype heterogeneity of leukemic cells has proved to be much greater than the match with existing classification criteria, this fact could raise the necessity for further functional evaluation and specification of immunophenotyping of the leukemia/lymphoma cells. The concept of explanation of pathogenesis and pathophysiology of different types of leukemia/lymphoma cells on the basis that they are derived from normal haematopoiesis must be accepted, because the number of membrane markers and their functional properties are correspondingly convincing.