Detection and analysis of immune molecules in leukemia cell surfaces of acute promyelocytic leukemia

Objective To investigate the immunophenotypic characteristics of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and its clinical significance. Methods Immunophenotyping was performed by four-color flow cytometry with CD45/SSC-lin gating for neoplastic cells and was divided into five levels according to the intensity of antigen expression. Results The expression intensity and percentage of typical APL phenotypes were: myeloperoxidase (MPO) and CD33 were consistently expressed (100%); CD38 (82.35%), CD13 (64.71%), CD64 (50%), CD123 (47.06%) and CD117 (44.12%) were partially expressed. HLA-DR (97.06%) and CD34 (99.02%) were negative. Post-chemotherapy remission rate in the Lym+APL patients was significantly lower than that in the Lym-APL patients. Conclusion The typical phenotypic characteristics in APL immunophenotyping were high SSC, CD33+ (grade I), CD38+ (grade I), MPO+ (grade I), CD13+ (grade III), CD64+ (grade I/III), CD117+ (grade II/III/IV), CD123+ (grade III/IV), CD11b-, HLA-DR-, CD34-. Understanding of the immunophenotypic features of APL contributes to rapid diagnosis of APL and the guidance of minimal residual disease (MRD) detection.