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Thrombospondin as a Marker for Leukemic Megakaryoblasts
M G Conlan1, D F Mosher1,2
1a Departments of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Leukemia & Lymphoma
|July 28, 2016
Summary
Thrombospondin (TSP) is a useful marker for identifying certain acute leukemia cells and normal megakaryocytes. This study found TSP and TdT positivity in four acute leukemia cases, suggesting a pluripotent stem cell origin.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Oncology
- Immunology
Background:
- Acute leukemia diagnosis relies on blast cell morphology and immunophenotyping.
- Thrombospondin (TSP) is a platelet alpha granule glycoprotein with potential diagnostic utility.
- Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) is a marker often found in lymphoid and myeloid blasts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression of thrombospondin (TSP) in acute leukemia blast cells.
- To determine if TSP can aid in the identification of specific leukemia subtypes.
- To explore the potential origin of TSP-positive leukemic cells.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis using a monoclonal antibody against thrombospondin (TSP).
- Detection of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) in blast cells.
- Cytogenetic analysis for Philadelphia chromosome (t(9;22)) detection.
Main Results:
- Four cases of acute leukemia showed blast cells reactive with anti-TSP antibody.
- All four TSP-positive cases were also TdT-positive.
- Normal bone marrow megakaryocytes were the only TSP-reactive cells identified in healthy controls.
- TSP was not detected in blasts from various other acute leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome subtypes.
Conclusions:
- Thrombospondin (TSP) is a valuable marker for identifying normal megakaryocytes and a specific subset of acute leukemia.
- The co-expression of TSP and TdT in leukemic blasts suggests a possible origin from pluripotent stem cells with multi-lineage differentiation potential.
