Cellular Characteristics of Acute Myeloblasts Leukemia Associated with t(8;21)(q22;q22)

Abstract

A large number of AML cases is reviewed in order to clarify biological characteristics of t(8;21) AML cells. The incidence of positivities for stem cell antigens, CD34 and HLA-DR, on blasts in t(8;21) AML is higher in comparison with those in other M2 or M3 categories. Frequent expression of CD34 and HLA-DR is indicative of the stem cell derivation of t(8;21) AML cells. The non-blastic leukemic cells in t(8;21) AML tend to lose the immature phe-notype with discordant maturation such as low CD33 expression. Further, the blasts show frequent expression of the B-cell antigen, CD 19, without other B-cell antigens and immunoglobulin gene rearrangements.

Key Words:

• Acute myeloblasts leukemia
• t(8;21)
• phenotype