The thiol-proteindisulfide-oxidoreductase--a new marker enzyme of monocytes from peripheral blood

Monocytes were enumerated by three different methods, cytochemical staining for alpha-naphthyl-acetate esterase-activity, immunofluorescence test using the monoclonal antibody BL-M/G and immunochemical staining for the enzyme thiol-proteindisulfide-oxidoreductase (TPO, EC 1.8.4.2) using a polyclonal rabbit anti-rat TPO immunoglobulin. For the comparison of these methods mononuclear cells from peripheral blood of healthy volunteers, patients with different diseases and adherent cell populations were tested. Statistical analysis showed no differences between the markers within these groups (H-test) and a significant correlation between the numbers of monocytes. TPO was found to be also valid for enumeration of monocytes obtained by adherence methods.