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Combined flow cytometric assessment of cell surface antigens and nuclear TdT for the detection of minimal residual disease in acute leukaemia
J. Drach,
C. Gattringer And,
H. Huber,
Corresponding Author
J. Drach
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunohaematology and Oncology, University of Innsbruck, Austria
Dr J. Drach, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A6020 Innsbruck, Austria.Search for more papers by this authorC. Gattringer And
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunohaematology and Oncology, University of Innsbruck, Austria
Search for more papers by this authorH. Huber
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunohaematology and Oncology, University of Innsbruck, Austria
Search for more papers by this authorJ. Drach,
C. Gattringer And,
H. Huber,
Corresponding Author
J. Drach
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunohaematology and Oncology, University of Innsbruck, Austria
Dr J. Drach, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A6020 Innsbruck, Austria.Search for more papers by this authorC. Gattringer And
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunohaematology and Oncology, University of Innsbruck, Austria
Search for more papers by this authorH. Huber
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Immunohaematology and Oncology, University of Innsbruck, Austria
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Summary. To define more precisely the immunophenotype of lymphoid blast cells, a new flow cytometric technique for the simultaneous detection of surface antigens and nuclear terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) was established. After staining for the cell surface marker, mononuclear cells were treated with paraformaldehyde (1 %) and methanol to permeabilize the cell membrane. Then the cells were stained by indirect immunofluorescence using a rabbit anti-human TdT antibody. Dilution experiments were performed to reveal the sensitivity of the described flow cytometric assay: 0·02% leukaemic cells could reliably be detected above background level among normal peripheral blood lymphocytes. It is concluded that the double-staining procedure described here is a sensitive tool that contributes to the detection of minimal residual disease in a substantial proportion of acute leukaemias.
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