M. Masuda et al., HETEROGENEITY OF CD7- 8- 1- LEUKEMIA - USEFULNESS OF CYTOPLASMIC ANTIGEN-DETECTION FOR SUBCLASSIFICATION( 4), Leukemia, 7(11), 1993, pp. 1759-1765
We identified CD3 and myeloperoxidase (MPO) antigens in the cytoplasm
of leukemic cells from 15 patients with CD7+4-8-1- leukemia. Seven pat
ients, five of whom had a mediastinal mass, had only cytoplasmic CD3 (
cCD3) antigen; these seven were regarded as possibly being of T-lineag
e type. Six patients, one of whom had a mediastinal mass, showed both
cCD3 and MPO; they were considered to have mixed lineage type. Two pat
ients had neither cCD3 nor cytoplasmic myeloid antigens; they were the
refore considered to have stem cell type. These two latter types were
considered as the subgroups: mixed lineage or stem cell type. Patients
with T-lineage type were good responders to L-17M therapy; four out o
f five who received L-17M therapy achieved complete remission. There w
ere significant differences between the two subgroups in relapse-free
survival, patients with T-lineage type exhibiting better prognosis tha
n other types (p < 0.05).