Leukocyte Alkaline Phosphatase: a Quantitative and Qualitative Study in Normal and Leukemic Cells

Abstract

Summary. Alkaline phosphatase was determined in pure preparations of granulocytes, lymphocytes, and different types of leukemic cells from subjects not yet given any treatment. In most cases of myeloid leukemia alkaline phosphatase activity was markedly reduced with respect to that of normal granulocytes: a modest degree of activity could be demonstrated in one case only. While no alkaline phosphatase could be demonstrated in normal lymphocytes, it was present, even if only in modest amounts, in two cases of chronic lymphatic leukemia. Electrophoretic fractionation consistently revealed in the granulocyte preparations a wide band with alkaline phosphatase activity extending from aa to the β-globulins, and a fainter band at the level of γ-globulins. In most of the electrophoretic strips of leukemic cells no phosphatase activity could be demonstrated; when present, the electrophoretic pattern was different from that of normal granulocytes, but it varied from case to case.

Liver- and Placenta-Like Alkaline Phosphatases (EC 3.1.3.1) Isoenzymes in Normal Human Neutrophils

“…In the zymo grams obtained using starch gel, the authors described a number of bands ranging from 2 to 4. Similar results have been reported by Tittobello et al [29] with cellulose acetate strips and by Tangheroni et al [28] with disc electrophoresis. However, Klein et al [17] found that NAP migrated as a slow single band.…”

“…These variations seem related to the electro phoretic medium used and to the techniques of cell extraction chosen. We must quote the works of Robinson et al [23,24], Bottomley et al [6], Baxter et al [1], Rosner and Lee [25] who used starch gel; those of Tittobello and Agostini [29], Findlay and Johnston [11] who used cellulose acetate strips, and those of Tangheroni et al [28] and Klein et al [17] who used polyacrylamide gels. In the zymo grams obtained using starch gel, the authors described a number of bands ranging from 2 to 4.…”

Leukocyte Alkaline Phosphatase Isoenzymes in Down’s Syndrome

“…The leukocyte AP zymogram was different from that observed in other tissues. The pattern of normal leukocyte AP shown above is quite similar to that observed on starch gel [34,35,42,44] and on cellogel [40]. On the contrary, on acrylamide gel Klein et al [19] detected a single wide band and Cox and Griffin [9] found 2 AP zones, one of them being a faint zone near the start.…”

“…normal pattern in contradiction with the previous observations [39,40], In agreement with Bottomley et al [5], the alterations of leu kocyte AP pattern already described in chronic myeloid leukemia may probably depend on differing amounts of sialic acid residues.…”