Abstract
Chromosome analyses and histochemical measurements of neutrophil alkaline phosphatase (neutrophil AP) were performed on patients with acute granulocytic leukemia in pre-treatment period.
1. Of 65 cases cytogenetically examined, 35 had chromosome abnormalities in their bone marrow cells. The percentages of cases with hypo-pseudo- or hyper-diploidy were 17.6, 67.6 and 14.8, respectively.
2. Neutrophil AP showed no any constant tendency in acute granulocytic leukemia, ranging from low to high in the activity. According to the AP activity, acute granulocytic leukemia cases were divided into three groups, low (score 0-170, 28 cases), normal (score 171-320, 21 cases) and high (score 321-500, 33 cases).
3. 15 of 28 patients with low AP activity had a common abnormality of translocation between group C and G, t (Cq-; Gq+).
4. Maturation of leukemic cells and abnormalities of nucleus and/or granules of the cells were frequently observed in cases with low neutrophil AP activity and translocation C/G.
Chromosome abnormalities in groups C and G, low activities of neutrophil AP and tendency for maturation of leukemic cells in acute granulocytic leukemia were discussed, comparing with those in chronic granulocytic leukemia.
