CONGENITAL LEUKEMIA WITH A MIXED PHENOTYPE OF MEGAKARYOBLASTS AND ERYTHROBLASTS - A CASE-REPORT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BLASTS

We present a congenital leukaemia with a mixed phenotype of megakaryob lasts and erythroblasts. A newborn male with exopthalmus and multiple skin nodules, had bone marrow blasts which expressed CD41b, CD42b, gly cophorin-A and haemoglobin, but monocyte or lymphoid markers were nega tive. The patient achieved a complete remission with chemotherapy. Bla sts cultured for a few months expressed erythroid markers but lost the megakaryocytic phenotype, although addition of phorbol ester induced the latter phenotype. Spontaneous colony formation was observed in sem i-solid culture and the number of colonies was increased by erythropoi etin. Detailed studies further indicated the heterogeneity of congenit al leukaemia.