1988 Volume 29 Issue 11 Pages 2054-2061
In order to investigate the clinical significance of the cell surface marker in acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), the leukemic blasts of 43 patients with ANLL were treated by 10 monoclonal antibodies and analysed these results in relation with response to therapy.
These ANLL patients were registered to protocol ANLL 827 and 861 of the Children's Cancer and Leukemia Study Group.
The percentage of leukemic cells that reacted to each antibody varied widly among patients.
Expression of Mol was more commonly observed in AMMoL/AMoL (M4, M5) (80%) than in AML (M1, M2) (25%). MY7 and MY9 reacted to over 50% of both AML and AMMoL/AMoL, while the reactivity of Mo2 and MY4 was low (under 50%) in both groups.
Expression of granulocyte-monocyte associated antigens didn't correlate to the FAB classification except for the higher frequency of expression of Mo1 antigen in AMMoL/AMoL than in AML.
There was correlation between the expression of antigens and the prognosis of ANLL. Three myeloid antigens (Mo1, Mo7, MY9) predicted a low complete remission (CR) rate by induction chemotherapy; Mo1+ cases had a CR rate of 63%, while Mo1- cases had a CR rate of 82%. MY7+ and MY9+ cases had a CR rate of 63% and 58%, respectively, while MY7- and MY9- cases had a CR rate of 87% and 92%. The expression of MY7 or MY9 antigen was associated with a decreased continuous complete remission rate (34% and 30% at 24 months for MY7+ and MY9+ cases, respectively, vs 66% and 75% for MY7- and MY9- cases)
These results confirmed the earlier reports on antigenic heterogeneity in ANLL. And it was considered that a further investigation is necessary to know whether the surface marker can predict the prognosis of ANLL independent of FAB classification.
