Eosinophil Colony Formation in Acute Nonlymphoblastic Leukemia

Summary

Agar culture of bone marrow cells from 52 patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia showed the development of higher than normal incidence of eosinophil colonies in 5 patients. Of these, the growth pattern of one patient was of particular interest since the aggregates formed consisted almost exclusively of eosinophilis which matured by 4 weeks of culture. In this patient, the plating efficiency was extraordinarily high and the growth of eosinophil colonies was significantly delayed. In this single patient karyotypic analysis suggested that the eosinophil colonies may have been derived from a leukemic cell line. Further studies are, however, necessary to determine the nature and origin of eosinophil colonies with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia.

We would like to thank Dr. Yasukazu Tanaka, Department of Experimental Pathology, Metropolitan Institute of Gerontrogy, Tokyo, for his assistance in the preparation of the electron micrographs and for his kind comments. We would also like to thank Professor W. A. Robinson, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, for his useful comments and suggestions.