A Colchicine-Sensitivity Test for Leukaemic Lymphocytes

Abstract

Non-dividing lymphocytes from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were nore sensitive than normal lymphocytes to reagents as prednisolone, cytarabine, vincristine and colchicine. The maximum difference was obtained when the cells were incubated with colchicine at 37.degree. C for 20 h. The sensitivity was measured by a sensitivity index which was an estimate of the average percentage of lymphocytes killed by 1.0 and 0.1 .mu.g/ml of colchicine. The index was 0-15% for lymphocytes from the blood of 14 normal persons and was 61-98% for 23 of 25 leukemic patients with absolute lymphocyte counts of 8000 .times. 109/l or more. Three of four untreated patients with presumptive diagnoses of early leukemia had low absolute counts of 3300-7600 .times. 109 lymphocytes/l and high sensitivity indices of 41-83%. Tests on treated patients with lymphocyte counts less than 8000 .times. 109/l suggested a correlation of the index with remission and relapse. Hairy cells from 3 patients with hairy cell leukemia were resistant to colchicine. Sensitivity to colchicine seemed useful as a test for leukemic lymphocytes and as an aid in the hematologic evaluation of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and malignant lymphoma.