[Morphofunctional heterogeneity of leukemic cells in hairy cell leukemia]

Bone marrow hairy cells were examined in 36 patients with hairy cell leukemia. Cytograms per 100 of hairy cells were assessed in all the patients. Leukemic cell size, cytoplasm profile, shape of the nucleus, and share of granular cells were under study. Cytochemical examination of hairy cells was carried out in 26 patients. Acid phosphatase and its tartrate inhibition, nonspecific alpha-naphthylacetate esterase, acid nonspecific esterase, and PAS reaction were investigated. In 15 patients hairy cells were immunologically examined using immunocytochemical APAAP method with IKO monoclonal antibodies 1, 91, 20, 124, 115, 92, 105, 30, 31, 86, 80, 87, GM-1. Morphologically two types of hairy cells were detectable: typical, with torn villose cytoplasm with numerous processes, and cells with clearly shaped scalloped cytoplasm. The two types did not differ by nuclear shape or size, presence of granules, but differed by their functions. Process hairy cells were characterized by features most typical of these cells: presence of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and CD22 (IKO91) B-cellular marker in the phenotype. In scalloped hairy cells cytochemical and immunological signs were less manifest.