Acquired erythroenzymopathy in a monozygotic twin with acute myeloid leukemia

The specific activity of several red cell enzymes was studied in a pair of monozygotic twins, one of whom presented acute myeloblastic leukemia. When the intrapair variation of these twins was compared with that of a series of nine normal twins, a significant decrease in phosphoglycerate kinase, diphosphoglycerate mutase, pyruvate kinase, lactic dehydrogenase, adenylate kinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities and an increase in 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activity were demonstrable for the leukemic twin. The heat stability of the leukemic proband's pyruvate kinase at pH 8.0 and 56 degrees C was less than that of the normal twin, suggesting an acquired qualitative disorder.