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M S Coleman

Publications and source records attributed to M S Coleman.

86 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase measurements in the differential diagnosis of adult leukaemias.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TDT) is an unusual DNA polymerase that does not use template information to synthesize new strands of DNA. It is normally found in high concentration in thymus (50 u/10(8) cells) and in low concentration in bone marrow (less than 5 u/10(8)). We report TDT measurements in the marrow and/or peripheral blood of 51 adult patients, 28 of whom had leukaemia. TDT is present in very high levels (greater than 50 u/10(8) cells) in leukaemic lymphoblasts and in low levels in leukaemic myeloblasts (less than 9 u/10(8) cells). Of two patients who developed lymphosarcoma-cell leukaemia following treatment of poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma, one had high and one low levels of TDT in the leukaemic blast cells. Leukaemic cells from three of seven patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia in blast crisis had TDT levels within the range expected of acute lymphoblastic rather than acute myeloid leukaemia. High TDT in leukaemic cells probably marks them as derivatives of lymphoid progenitor, thymic or pluripotential stem cells. Quantitative assay of TDT may provide information useful in classifying haematological neoplasms.

Adult↗

Serial observations on terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase activity and lymphoblast surface markers in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase activity and cell surface markers were measured in peripheral lymphoid cells from 27 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in various phases of their disease. Lymphoblasts from untreated patients had smooth surface ultrastructure but heterogeneous surface receptors. Greater than 60% of lymphoblasts from 4 to 7 untreated patients formed rosettes with sheep red blood cells. Transferase activity was variable, ranging from 8 to 210 units/10(8) blasts, but it was consistently elevated at diagnosis and in relapse. Transferase levels did not correlate with the presence of lymphoblast surface receptors. During induction therapy transferase activity decreased rapidly, but it remained elevated in peripheral lymphoid cells even when blasts were not detectable in peripheral blood smears. Patients in remission had normal surface receptors and undetectable or minimally elevated levels of transferase. Terminal transferase activity may be a sensitive biochemical marker for a primitive cell population and may be important in the evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Adolescent↗

Terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase in human leukemia.

Terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (EC 2.7.7.31; nucleoside triphosphate:DNA nucleotidylexotransferase) is usually found only in thymus, but has been reported in leukemic cells from children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In an unusual adult patient with acute myelomonocytic leukemia, terminal transferase was found at a level of 16 units per 10(8) bone marrow cells and 14 units per 10(8) circulating leukocytes (1 unit = 1 nmol of nucleotide per hr). This activity is comparable to that found in normal thymus. Assays of transferase in marrow and peripheral leukocytes from patients with typical acute and chronic myelogenous leukemias gave average values of 0.5 and 0.3 unit per 10(8) cells, respectively. Transferase activity is also found in normal bone marrow at about 0.07 unit per 10(8) cells. Terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase in all samples of human marrow and peripheral blood had reaction characteristics, sedimentation, and chromatographic properties similar to the homogeneous enzyme from calf thymus.

Aged↗