Immunophenotypic analysis in Iranian patients with acute myelogenous leukemia: correlation with leukemia subgroups

ABSTRACT

Immunophenotyping has led to important insights into leukocyte differentiation and cellular origin of leukemias. This study was undertaken to analyze the expression of certain leukocyte surface markers in acute myelogenous leukemia and to find its possible correlation with a morphological classification. Methods:myelogenous The immunophenotypic characteristics of 70 patients with diagnosis of acute leukemia [AML] were investigated using a panel of monoclonal antibodies [mAbs] against CD13, CD14, CD15, CD33, CD34, CD38, CD71, CD11b and HLA-DR molecules. The frequency of expression of each surface marker in relation to morphological classification by French-American-British [FAB] criteria was analyzed. Among the mAbs used in this study HLA-DR, CD38 and CD15 were positive in the majority of cases. CD15, CD33, CD34 and CD13 were the most common antigens expressed in M1 patients. In M2 subtype, the highest expression belonged to CD13 molecule. The blast cells of all 9 patients with M3 AML expressed CD15 antigen. In these patients CD38 had the least expression in comparison with other subtypes. Blast cells of the largest group [M4] showed high reactivity with CD11b and CD15 mAbs. In M5 and M6 patients HLA-DR, CD38, CD15, CD11b [for M5 group] and CD71 [for M6 group] were found in all cases. CD14, which had an expression of 75% in M5 cases, was practically absent in other subtypes. Some immunophenotypes correlated with FAB type, including increased frequency of CD71 expression and lack of expression of CD11b in M6 group [p<.05], lack of expression of CD71 and decreased expression of CD38 in M3 patients [p<.05], and increased frequency of CD13 and CD14 expression in M2 and M5 groups respectively [p<.008]