Flow cytometric detection of some activation and proliferation markers in human hematopoietic cell lines

Simultaneous surface marker/DNA, cytoplasmic/DNA or nuclear/DNA staining was used to study proliferation of hematopoietic cell lines (MOLT4, BJAB, P3HR1). Different fixation/permeabilization methods (paraformaldehyde with metanol or Tween 20 or saponin, buffered formaldehyde-acetone) were used providing optimal results of the double stainings. There was a significant increase of S phase and proliferation index (PI) of CD71+ and Ki67+ MOLT4 cells in comparison with their negative counterparts. This indicates their close connection with proliferation. Unlike that, the correlation between the expression of CD38 and S phase or PI was not significant either in MOLT4 or in P3HRI cells. For cytoplasmic markers CD3 (in MOLT4 cells) and CD22 (in BJAB cells) statistically significant (cCD3) and not significant (cCD22) correlation was demonstrated between their expression and S phase or PI. Molecular equivalents of soluble fluorescein values for CD71 were always higher than for CD38. The density of these cell surface markers in addition to the percentage of their expression is of considerable significance for their evaluation as activation or proliferation markers.