[Behavior of the principal protein hormones in normal and leukemic leukocytes]

GH, LH, insulin and glucagon patterns were studied in the peripheral leukocytes of normal subjects (granulocytes and lymphocytes separated on a Ficoll-Hypaque gradient) and leukaemic patients (CML, AML, CLL, and ALL), using a double antibody RIA on whole cells. The uptake of 125I-labelled insulin and GH by these cells was also assessed. The results showed that in leukaemia, particularly CLL, ALL and AML, though not in CML, there was a constant reduction in hormone values, plus depressed GH and insulin uptake. The only exceptions were glucagon and insulin in CML, and LH in CLL, since their concentrations were normal or clearly enhanced. The data are seen as an expression of a membrane receptor block extending to several hormones with structural differences (protein, steroid, T3 and T4), capable of altering the ability of leukaemic cells to respond to ordinary factors modulating their differentiation, functional activity, and the expansion of the corresponding stem cell compartment.