[Differences in leukocyte membranes detectable by a fluorescent probe in chronic leukemias]

The fluorescent intensities of the fluorescent probe 3-methoxybenzanthrone (MBA) were compared in lymphocytes of normal donors and patients with chronic lympholeukemia (CLL) and in cells of patients with chronic myeloleukemia (CML). The cells were obtained from the peripheral blood by lymphocytopheresis. In CML, the mean fluorescence intensity of a single cell is 2.2 times higher than in donors, the difference is observed in all patients. In CLL, the mean fluorescence of a single cell negligibly differs from normal. Mathematic analysis of histograms of the fluorescent cells has been shown that the cells may be presented as a sum of two cell groups. In CML and CLL, the relative portion of the cells with the higher fluorescence intensity increases. Possible reasons for changes in the probe fluorescence seen in the cells during leukemias that reflect changes in cell membranes are discussed.