H. Takatsuki et al., WHICH PROGENITOR IS THE TARGET-CELL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACUTE PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA, Leukemia & lymphoma, 17(3-4), 1995, pp. 251-254
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized by the t(15;17) wh
ich involves the PML gene and the retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR al
pha) gene, and the subsequent PML/RAR alpha fusion gene is a key event
in the leukemogenesis of APL. We found that the PML/RAR alpha fusion
gene was expressed in both granulocytic/macrophage and erythroid colon
ies in a few patients with APL. In some instances of acute myelogenous
leukemia (AML), erythrocytes or platelets also expressed the glucose-
6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) isoenzymes which were detected in t
he leukemic cells. Some APL cells show basophilic and monocytoid diffe
rentiation and these findings suggest that the leukemic precursor of A
PL is derived from a more primitive cell stage than the promyelocyte.
The precursor cells appear to be derived from heterogeneous levels.