Chromosome banding pattern in acute myeloid leukaemia

Cytogenetic study of cell lines from an infantile hypercalcemic renal tumor

Four cell lines were obtained in vivo and in vitro from an infantile hypercalcemic renal tumor, which is considered to be a new tumor entity. Biochemical characteristics of the cells, studied after heterotransplantation into nude mice, were similar to those observed in the original tumor. One of the two in vitro cell lines originated from the initial tumor, the other from transplanted tumors in nude mice. One of the two in vivo cell lines originated in nude mice from serial grafts of the initial tumor, the other from grafts of the first in vitro cell line. All cell lines showed a human diploid karyotype, except for the cell line obtained directly from the tumor. In the latter, the karyotypes showed either a regional duplication of the long arm of chromosome #5 or a duplication of the long arm of chromosome #21. These two rearrangements did not appear simultaneously in the same cells, and their frequencies changed at each passage. The study of these different cell lines showed a remarkable karyotype stability, which did not prevent successful grafting into nude mice.

Translocations involving chromosomes #3 and #12: hematologic diseases associated with abnormalities of these chromosomes

Two hematologic cases with translocations involving chromosomes #3 and #12 are described. The first case is that of a myeloproliferative disorder (preleukemia?) associated with a (3;12)(q29;q24) translocation in the bone marrow cells. No evidence of leukemic transformation has appeared to date. The second case is that of acute leukemia (AL) (M4 type) in which leukemic cells with t(3;12)(p14;q24) were seen. The roles of chromosomes #3 and #12 in hematopoiesis are considered, and the abnormalities affecting these chromosomes in various hematologic disorders have been tabulated and correlated. Abnormalities in chromosomes #3 and #12 appear to be common and nonrandom in hematologic diseases of a premalignant and a malignant type.

Cytogenetic studies in adult acute leukemias

Thirty-six patients with acute leukemia (31 with AML, 5 with ALL) were classified by FAB criteria, and their bone marrow cells were analyzed cytogenetically with G-banding. Chromosomal abnormalities were found in 16 patients (44%). The most common abnormality was an 8;21 translocation, accounting for 19.4% of all AML patients, that was restricted to patients with M2. In 29 treated AML patients, those with an 8;21 translocation [t(8;21) patients] showed a higher complete remission rate (83%) and a longer median survival (10.7 months) than did other patients with AML; patients with only abnormal metaphases (AA patients) had the lowest complete remission rate (33%) and shortest median survival (2.7 months). There was no difference in the remission rate and survival between patients with only normal metaphases (N patients) and patients with abnormal metaphases (A patients). Three out of five patients with ALL had karyotypic abnormalities; the Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome was found in one case.

Chromosomes and causation of human cancer and leukemia. XLV. Chromosome patterns in stimulated lymphocytes of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

In the present study the B-cell mitogens from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and lipopolysaccharide-B from E. coli (LPS) were used to stimulate the blood cells of 27 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) to undergo mitosis. In 14 CLL cases EBV was used as the only mitotic stimulant and in 5 cases both EBV and LPS. In 8 cases neither EBV nor LPS caused mitotic cells to appear. In 9 cases the cells were characterized by abnormal clones, including 5 cases with +12 (including 1 case with a possible Philadelphia chromosome), 2 cases with 14q+ and 1 case with an i(17q). No correlation was found between the types of surface membrane immunoglobulins and the chromosome abnormalities in the leukemic lymphocytes. The effects of EBV on normal lymphocytes were also investigated and found to be nonspecific (e.g., tetraploidy), although in every case EBV caused a definite increase in the mitotic index. The results indicate that 1) EBV and LPS stimulate leukemic cells of CLL to undergo mitosis, 2) about 50% of the patients have clonal abnormalities in the leukemic cells, and 3) CLL is associated with karyotypic changes seen in lymphoma (14q+), although the most common anomaly in our material was a +12.

Atypical myeloproliferative disorder associated with a 21 trisomic clone

The hematological and cytogenetical studies of a case of atypical myeloproliferative disorder are reported. The patient displayed moderate leukocytosis, anemia and thrombocytopenia. Reduced or absent growth of CFU-C was observed in the bone marrow and peripheral blood. The cytogenetical analysis revealed a trisomy 21 limited to the neoplastic clone. The overall results are discussed and compared with the rare cases of acquired trisomy 21 reported in the literature.

Chromosome analysis of primary large bowel tumors: a new method for improving the yield of analyzable metaphases

Colon tumors were processed immediately after surgical resection. Using L-Arterenol and sodium citrate in combination with standard chromosome culture techniques, 12 of 17 consecutive tumors (75%) had countable figures ranging from 5 cells to 59 cells. Seven of the 12 cases had over 25 countable cells. Chromosome counts did not vary more than +/- 4 for any one case. Seven tumors were karyotyped, 6 with banding techniques. One of these specimens had mosaic patterns. The chromosome counts varied: 2 were hypodiploid; 1 was pseudodiploid and 4 were hyperdyploid. There were some similarities in the karotypes although no identical karyotypes were seen in this series.

Two abnormal clones in the bone marrow cells of a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is considered to be a clonal disorder, although most investigations have failed to show chromosomal abnormalities. The present patient suffered from PNH and exhibited in bone marrow cells two abnormal clones with 47 chromosomes in addition to cells with 46 chromosomes. One clone showed trisomy 9, a finding previously reported in leukemias and myeloproliferative disorders. Thus, PNH seems to be a clonal myeloproliferative disease.

Clinical implications of chromosome abnormalities in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia: current status

Data currently available on banded chromosome studies on patients with ANLL suggest that the presence of a chromosome abnormality in such patients indicates a poor prognosis, and that different treatment strategies need to be developed for these patients. However, patients with at least one normal metaphase survive nearly as long as those with only normal metaphases. A specific chromosome abnormality in APL [t(15;17)], an unusual association of a translocation [t(8;21)] in association with loss of a sex chromosome, and a rare association of thrombocytosis and a chromosome insertion (3;3 ins), suggest that some chromosome changes in ANLL are specific.

Trisomy 8 in the chronic phase of Philadelphia negative chronic myelocytic leukaemia

An unusual case of Philadelphia negative chronic myelocytic leukaemia and an extra chromosome 8 in all bone marrow cells is described. The abnormality was present at diagnosis of the disease and throughout the chronic phase which lasted for somewhat less than 2 years. The patient died soon after the blastic transformation with no other chromosomal abnormalities.

In vivo leukemic transformation: cytogenetic evidence of in vivo leukemic transformation of engrafted marrow cells

A 4-year-old girl with acute myeloblastic leukemia was treated with 50 mg/kg cyclophosphamide daily for 4 days before being given 1.7 X 10(8) bone marrow cells/kg from her HL-A identical, MLC nonreactive, cytogenetically normal brother. The patient died 92 weeks after the marrow graft. Postmortem examination showed increased myeloblasts and promyelocytes. Cytogenetic studies before transplantation showed that all sex determination metaphases had an XX pattern, and 41% of the hyperdiploid metaphases had an additional 19-20(F) chromosome. At autopsy all hyperdiploid metaphases with XY pattern and 43% of the hyperdiploid metaphases with an XX pattern had an additional F chromosome. Occasional metaphases with 47, XX, + F or 47, XY, + F were seen during the follow-up studies. These findings indicated that an acute leukemia had developed in the XY cell line of this artifically induced sex chimeric child. This suggests that a leukemic stimulus other than that proposed to be induced by total-body irradiation existed in this patient and transformed the engrafted cells.

Polyploidy of the bone marrow

In a consecutive series of 841 patients whose bone marrows were cytogenetically investigated because of verified or suspected haematological disease, 11 patients were found to have at least 10% polyploid bone marrow mitoses. The chromosome numbers varied greatly between the cells of the same patients and between the patients. In 4 cases, the number was nearly or exactly tetraploid and in 1 patient a prevalent octaploid line was seen. Structurally abnormal marker chromosomes were seen in 8 of the patients. A total of 31 bone marrow chromosome counts were performed on a young woman with acute myelomonocytic leukaemia who had had several drug-induced remissions during the 3 1/2 years of disease. The results were related to the clinical findings. On several occasions a clear-cut correlation was noted between high proportions (nearly 100%) of polyploid cells and relapse on the one hand and low proportions (as low as 0%) of polyploids and remission on the other. Of the 11 patients, 2 had chronic myeloid leukaemia, 3 acute myelomonocytic leukaemia, 3 acute myeloid leukaemia and a further 3 some other malignant haematological disorders. We conclude that polyploidy is a feature associated with rare cases of leukaemia and other malignant diseases. It is often a sign of a poor prognosis.

Non-random chromosome changes in acute myeloid leukemia. Chromosome banding examination of 30 cases at diagnosis

Bone-marrow chromosomes were examined with the G-banding technique in 30 patients with acute myeloid leukemia at the time of diagnosis. In 13 of the 30 patients (43%) only normal diploid bone-marrow cells were found, and no deviations from the normal banding pattern could be detected in these cells. In bone-marrow cells of 17 patients (57%), distinct chromosome abnormalities were found; in 10 of the patients only abnormal cells were observed, whereas in 7 of the patients the abnormal cells coexisted with normal diploid cells without any visible chromosome banding abnormality. The results of the detailed analysis of the karyotypic aberrations demonstrated that when chromosome aberrations occurred they were clearly non-random. All patients except two displayed trisomy 8,9 or 21 or monosomy 7. Analysis of cases of acute leukemia from other laboratories indicated that the same consistent pattern of chromosome involvement prevailed in them.

Extremely long duration of chronic myeloid leukaemia with Ph1 negative and Ph1 positive bone marrow cells

A male patient still surviving 17 years after the diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukaemic (CML) is described. A chromosome analysis of the bone marrow 16 years after the diagnosis revealed 84% Ph1 negative and 16% Ph1 positive cells, all containing the Y chromosome. The disease has been very sensitive to treatment with busulphan but bone marrow hypoplasia has not been induced. It is probable that in some CML patients with such a double cell population the prognosis may be extraordinarily good and that they run a considerable risk of being overtreated due to a pronounced sensitivity to alkylating drugs. Such rare cases should not serve as arguments for aggressive treatment of CML.

Non-random and random chromosomal abnormalities in transformed chronic granulocytic leukaemia

Chromosome abnormalities, identified using a banding technique and additional to the Ph, are reported in 10 consecutive cases of transformed chronic granulocytic leukaemia. In most of the cases the abnormalities were non random. In 2 cases serial studies were performed and additional abnormalities found, antedating transformation by one week and two months respectively. In 2 others the Ph status had been established during the chronic phase of the disease. In the remaining cases the first chromosome analysis was performed at the time of transformation.

Cytogenetic differences between bone marrow and spleen in a case of agnogenic myeloid metaplasia developing blast crisis

Chromosome studies of cells from bone marrow and spleen were performed in a patient with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (MM) developing blast crisis after a chronic phase lasting for 6.5 years. The proportions of blast cells were roughly the same in bone marrow and spleen. In the bone marrow 43 % of the metaphases were abnormal with a marker chromosome whereas all spleen metaphases were normal. The results indicate that chromosomal changes associated with blast transformation in MM may occur in the bone marrow prior to such changes in the spleen and support the concept that bone marrow and spleen may constitute relatively separate pools of haemopoietic tissue in chronic myeloproliferative diseases.

Karyotypes in infectious mononucleosis

Using a trypsin-Giemsa banding procedure, chromosome analysis was performed on blood from 21 consecutive patients hospitalized for infectious mononucleosis. Mitoses were harvested after 2 and 24 h in vitro incubation without PHA and after 48 h with PHA. No abnormalities were seen.

Chromosome abnormalities identified by banding technique in a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia complicating Hodgkin's disease

Chromosome analyses using the Giemsa banding technique were performed on bone marrow cells in a patient with the association of Hodgkin's disease and acute myeloid leukaemia. All cells had an abnormal karyotype showing an extra chromosome No. 14, loss of one chromosome No. 17 and gain of one chromosome No. 18. These abnormalities are in many respects similar to the karyotype changes of lymphoid cells in malignant lymphomas, suggesting a pathogenetic relationship between the two disorders.