[Functional activity of the nucleolar organizer in the interphase granulocytic nuclei in chronic myeloid leukemia]

Silver staining was used to investigate transcription activity of ribosomal genes of leukemia granulocytes in the interphase in 32 patients with PA-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and 26 healthy subjects. Visual calculation of nucleolar argentophilic granules (AG) and measurements of AG total area on cytoanalyzer Morphoquant were made. Introduction of a specially devised computer program and combination of silver staining with autoradiography in vitro (3H-thymidine) made it possible to quantify the activity of the ribosome genes in each phase of the mitotic cycle (G0/1, S, G2). Moreover, a significant difference was established in AgNO3 staining capacity of mature granulocyte nuclei in normal condition and in CML.