Acute Erythroleukaemia with L3 Morphology and the 14q+ Chromosome

Abstract

L3 morphology according to the FAB [French-American-British] classification and the 14q+ chromosome are usually ascribed to the Burkitt type of leukemia or lymphoma with a B or pre-B cell phenotype. A case of adult acute leukemia with Burkitt morphology and the 14q+, which did not express lymphoid markers, is reported. The leukemia was shown to be an acute erythroleukemia. The erythrocyte marker glycophorin A was present on the surface of the leukemic blasts as shown by immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation from membrane lysates of surface labeled cells with antiglycophorin A antiserum. Spectrin and fetal Hb appeared after cultivation of the blasts in the presence of sodium butyrate. A short-term cultivation is sometimes useful for further characterization of the commitment of acute leukemias.