Distribution of preleukemic cells in fractionated bone marrow of mice

Separation of preleukemic cells (having the potential to develop further into overt T-cell leukemias) from bone marrow cell populations was attempted. Donor mice of preleukemic bone marrow included C57BL/6 mice inoculated intrathymically with D-RadLV or AKR/J mice carrying spontaneous preleukemic cells among their bone marrow cells. Fractionation of bone marrow cells suspended in bovine serum albumin (BSA) by equilibrium density centrifugation or by velocity sedimentation at 1 g unit gravity using discontinuous density gradient of Ficoll was applied. The leukemogenic potential of the separated bone marrow fractions was tested by evaluating leukemia development following their transfer into appropriate recipients. No enrichment of D-RadLV-induced preleukemic cells was found in any of the four bone marrow fractions obtained following separation on BSA gradient. Separation of D-RadLV-induced preleukemic cells was afforded by using the Ficoll gradients. Preleukemic cells were located mainly among four out of 21 fractions tested, consisting mostly of 10 to 14 micrometers size cells. In contrast, preleukemic cells from AKR donors were distributed among most of the separated fractions. It is suggested that these variable results may reflect homogeneity or heterogeneity of progenitor target cells undergoing transformation.