An improved method of processing bone marrow for chromosomes

Cytogenetic studies in 56 cases with Ph1-positive hematologic disorders

Karyotypes were examined in 56 cases of Ph1-positive hematologic disorders based on direct examination of bone marrow material and culture of blood for 24 hr without phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Various banding techniques (Q, followed by R or C, where necessary) were used. The series of patients consisted of 21 females and 35 males with the ages ranging from 3 to 72 years. In three cases, the clinical and hematologic picture at the time of diagnosis and karyotyping was not compatible with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML): 1 case had acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML), another acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the third subacute myeloid leucosis. The results are as follows: In three cases (two female, one male), no Ph1 translocation could be demonstrated in any of the metaphases either with Q- or R-banding. In 50 cases (19 female, 31 male), a standard Ph1 translocation, t(9;22)(q34;q11), was observed. In two of these cases, ages 45 and 47, the Ph1 translocation was accompanied by loss of the Y chromosome in all the metaphases examined. Finally, in three cases (all male), variant Ph1-translocations were found: t(7;9)(9;22)(q35?;q31?;q11), and t(1;9)(9;22)(q21;134;q11).

Acute lymphocytic leukemia with microblastosis and near haploidy (26 chromosomes): a case report

A three-year-old acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) patient had a modal chromosome count of 26 in her bone marrow metaphases. The leukemia was "common" ALL by cytochemical and immunologic studies. Five other cases had been reported previously, and all have had a near haploidy varying from 26 to 32 chromosomes. Disomy of chromosomes 18 and 21 is a consistent feature of this disease. Severe hypodiploidy correlates with microblastosis requiring morphologic separation from non-neoplastic small lymphocytes.

Unusual translocation and chronic myelocytic leukemia: "masked" Philadelphia chromosome (Ph 1)

An unusual Ph 1 translocation in a woman, 65 years old, with chronic myelocytic leukemia is reported. Cytogenetic analysis performed on 150 mitoses examined with Q-, R-, and C-banding revealed evidence for an unusual translocation involving the insertion of a segment of chromosome #9 into chromosome #22, thus masking the presence of a Ph 1. The anomaly can best be described as 46, XX, ins(22;9) (q11;q22 to 34).

Effect of human leukocyte interferon on human lymphocytes in vitro: cytogenetic studies

Mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes from 8 healthy donors were exposed to interferon, and cytogenetic studies were preformed. The response of lymphocytes to the mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (con A) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) was inhibited by interferon, whereas an increased number of structural chromosomal aberrations was not detected. Further investigations of the cytogenetic effects of interferon are needed.

Erythroblastic transformation of chronic myeloid leukemia: hyperdiploid Ph1-positive karyotypes in primitive PAS-positive erythroblasts

In a case of erythroblastic transformation of chronic myeloid leukemia, morphological, cytochemical, and cytogenetic properties of marrow cells were studied on three occasions. It was investigated whether any correlation could be demonstrated between these cytological parameters. The following observations suggested that early erythroblasts with granular periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) positivity had hyperdiploid Ph1-positive karyotypes: (1) At the three times of study, the frequencies of Ph1-positive, hyperdiploid karyotypes varied in phase with the frequencies of erythroblast mitoses and inversely to those of granulopoietic mitoses. (2) In the three consecutive bone marrow samples, the frequencies of early erythroblasts (E1 + E2) presenting granular PAS positivity corresponded to and showed a statistically significant positive correlation to those of Ph1-positive hyperdiploid metaphases.

Cytogenetic studies in patients treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole

Cytogenetic studies were performed on bone-marrow cells from 12 patients with urinary tract infections treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (T + S). An increased number of micronuclei was presented in the patients compared with the control group, whereas structural chromosomal aberrations were not seen. The present study shows that T + S, like other folic acid antagonists, damage the human genetic material, and confirms that the micronucleus test is more sensitive than chromosome analysis in detecting a cytogenetic effect of chemical agents in man.

Cytogenetic effects of methotrexate on human cells in vivo: comparison between results obtained by chromosome studies on bone-marrow cells and blood lymphocytes and by the micronucleus test

Cytogenetic studies were performed in 22 patients treated with methotrexate (MTX). In some patients, metaphases from both bone-marrow cells and peripheral blood cells were studied. In the bone-marrow preparations an increased number of structural chromosomal aberrations was present, whereas abnormalities were not observed in the peripheral blood cells. An examination of the bone-marrow chromosomes must therefore be included in the study of the possible chromosome-breaking effect of chemical agents. The results obtained with the micronucleus test and chromosome studies were compared in 10 patients treated with MTX. The micronucleus test was more sensitive than the chromosome analysis as regards the clastogenic effect of MTX.

Cytogenetic studies in patients treated with penicillamine

Cytogenetic studies were performed on bone-marrow cells from 11 patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with penicillamine. One of the patients was studied while developing a granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia. The findings show that penicillamine had no chromosome-damaging effect as estimated by the micronucleus test and by the number of structural chromosomal aberrations.

A near haploid clone: 24,XY, t (9; 22) (q34; q11) from a patient in blast crisis of chronic myeloid leukaemia

Chromosome studies on bone marrow in a patient with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) revealed a mosaic picture with a dominant clone of 24,XY, t(9; 22) (q34; q11). This corresponded to a preponderance of minute blasts in smears of bone marrow aspirate. It is suggested that a haploidy event rather than progressive hypodiploid loss, is responsible for the genesis of the miniature blast cells.

Chromosome analysis of bone marrow samples from country patients

Co-operation by outside centres has made it possible to offer bone marrow chromosome analysis to patients living up to 1800 kilometres from the central cytogenetics laboratory. Diagnostic karyotypes have been obtained in 9 of 10 bone marrow specimens which were partially processed before being transported to the city laboratory for final analysis.

Cytogenetic findings in pernicious anaemia. Comparison between results obtained with chromosome studies and the micronucleus test

To elucidate whether the micronucleus test may be a sensitive test for the demonstration of the occurrence of spontaneous structural chromosomal aberrations in human disease, bone-marrow smears and chromosome preparations were studied from ten patients with pernicious anaemia. An increased incidence of metaphases with structural chromosomal aberrations was seen in three of the patients, whereas an increased number of bone-marrow cells containing micro-nuclei was present in eight of the ten patients. The micronucleus test may thus be a rapid and sensitive test to demonstrate whether spontaneous structural aberrations of the chromosomes are present in a group of patients suffering from various diseases.

Improvement of preparative conditions for cytogenetic studies by short-term liquid culture of haemopoietic cells

In patients with haemopoietic failure, the low incidence of cells in mitosis often prevents successful chromosome preparations. By performing liquid cultures of myeloid cells a high incidence of mitoses could be obtained even in those cases failing to provide mitoses when the direct preparation technique was used. The cytogenetic studies demonstrated that the mitoses achieved by culture techniques were aneuploid and, thus, there is evidence that they are of leukaemic origin. The combination of short-term liquid culture and chromosome analysis appears to be a diagnostic approach in selected cases of hemopoietic insufficiency.

Marker chromosome 14q+ in non-endemic Burkitt's lymphoma

The chromosomal aberrations in tumor cells obtained by bone marrow aspiration from a patient with non-endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) are reported. Twenty percent of the cells contained the marker chromosome 14q+ earlier described in endemic Burkitt's tumors. Other marker chromosomes were dound only in mitoses which did not contain the 14q+.

Cytogenetic studies in sideroblastic anemia

Cytogenetic studies were performed on bone marrow aspirates from seven patients with acquired sideroblastic anemia. In one male patient a 45,X cell line was present in each of three bone marrow aspirates. The remaining six patients had a normal chromosome complement. The abnormal stem line in the bone marrow may be unrelated to the hematologic disorder or may indicate a neoplastic process still latent. The cytogenetic literature on sideroblastic anemia is reviewed.

Studies on the haematologic and cytogenetic effect of lithium

The corpuscular elements of the peripheral blod and the morphology and chromosome constitution of bone marrow cells have been studied in patients before and during lithium therapy as well as in patients who had received lithium for a substantial period. Lithium therapy produced elevated total white cell, granulocyte, eosinophil and thrombocyte counts and a lymphocytopenia, whereas no effect was seen on the erythrocyte and reticulocyte counts. There were no morphological or cytogenetic changes in the bone marrow aspirates. Neither were toxic doses of lithium able to produce chromosome abnormalities in rats.

Hemophagocytic reticulosis. A case report with investigations of immune and white cell function

A 5-month-old child with hemophagocytic reticulosis is described. Investigations revealed a grossly defective PHA response of the patient's lymphocytes which improved with chemotherapy. Defective glucose oxidation by phagocytosing cells and low IgA levels were demonstrated at diagnosis and have persisted despite chemotherapy. HL-A typing and chromosome studies did not reveal maternal lymphocytes in the child's circulation. The patient was treated with vinblastine and prednisolone and remains well after 11 months of treatment.

Cytogenetic studies in myelomatosis

Cytogenetic studies have been carried out on bone marrow aspirates from 25 patients with myelomatosis. Abnormal stem lines were present in 7 of the patients; the remainder had a diploid chromosome complement. In most patients - also in those without an abnormal clone - some metaphases had a blurred appearance similar to that seen in bone marrow aspirates from patients with acute leukaemia. In many of the chromosome preparations obtained before cytostatic therapy some metaphases with structural aberrations on the chromosomes were seen. Evidence is presented that in the patients with abnormal stem lines in the bone marrow, the chromosome abnormalities are confined to the myeloma cells and are not found in the erythrocytic or granulocytic precursors, which thus do not seem to be involved by the neoplastic process. Based on the present resuts and on a review of the relevant literature some general cytogenetic features are emphasized which may contribute to a better understainding of the disorder. Especially, it is demonstrated that in myelomatosis the cytogenetic changes are much more uniform than in other malignant disorders with the exception of chronic myeloid leukaemia.

48,XYYY: a new syndrome?

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