[Bone marrow immunophenotyping for the diagnosis of multiple myeloma: practical aspects].

Multiple myeloma is a malignant proliferative disease of plasma cells. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping makes it possible to identify a malignant clone of myeloma cells in the shortest possible time, to determine its phenotype, and differentiate transformed and preserved plasma cells. The article presents an immunophenotyping strategy using three-color monoclonal antibodies (CD35, CD14, CD38, CD138, and CD19) and an algorithm of verification of transformed plasma cells. Particular emphasis is placed on both the practical aspects of performing this assay and on the clinical application of the obtained results.

Participation of IIb-IIIa glycoprotein in spontaneous platelet aggregation.

In some patients with stable and unstable angina pectoris and in some donors without clinical manifestations of cardiovascular diseases and other pathologies, spontaneous platelet aggregation was completely suppressed by glycoprotein IIb-IIIa antagonists blocking the interaction of this glycoprotein with fibrinogen. Antibodies inhibiting binding of glycoprotein Ib with von Willebrand factor had no effect on the level and rate of spontaneous platelet aggregation. In the donor group, the level of spontaneous aggregation was almost 1.5-fold higher in persons with a certain genetic polymorphism (Leu-->Pro substitution in position 33 of glycoprotein IIIa). The level of spontaneous aggregation correlated with the amount of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa on the platelet surface (r = 0.41).