Blood, 1960, Vol. 16, No. 5, pp. 1555-1563.
© 1960 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Nucleic Acids and Protein Metabolism
in Acute Leukemia Cells
FELICE GAVOSTO 1,
GIOVANNI MARAINI 1, and
ALESSANDRO PILERI 1
1 Medical Clinic of the University of Torino (Prof. G. C. Dogliotti, Director),
Torino, Italy.
DNA, RNA and protein metabolism was investigated by means of a high
resolution autoradiographic technic in normal and acute leukemia blast cells
by studying the incorporation of tritiated thymidine, uridine, leucine and
phenylalanine. A strikingly lower percentage of cells labelled with thymidine
was demonstrated in acute leukemia and was interpreted as evidence of a
decreased proliferative capacity. A very significantly lower uptake of uridine,
leucine and phenylalanine was detected in acute leukemia cells.
In normal and leukemic cells, amino acid incorporation occurred both in
the nucleus and in the cytoplasm; uridine was incorporated exclusively in
the nucleus during the first hour of incubation and the cytoplasm became
labelled only in a later period.
The constant ratio between uridine and amino acid incorporation detected
in normal myeloblasts was always altered in acute leukemia cells.
The lower RNA and protein metabolism and its dissociation in acute leukemia cells was discussed as related to the well-known maturation defect
of these cells.
Submitted on May 20, 1960
Accepted on August 8, 1960
