Identification and characterization: cell membrane antigens associated with the blast phase of human adult leukemia

Cell membrane antigens which produce delayed skin reactions and are associated with the blast phase of human acute leukemia have been identified and characterized. When patients are in remission, these proteins are not present on their white blood cells. The blast antigens associated with acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL) are also present on early human fetal thymus cells. Blast antigens from acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) appear to have a different structure and are not associated with fetal antigens. The isolation away from blocking factors of purified, solubilized proteins from the leukemic blast cell membranes now permits the possibility of testing to see whether or not such specific antigens will be useful in diagnosis and in immuno-chemotherapy of leukemia.