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Profound Radiosensitivity in "Leukemic" T-Cell Lines and T-Cell-type Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Demonstrated by Sodium [⁵¹Cr]Chromate Labeling¹

Departments of Pediatrics [S. N., L. F. S.] and Immunology Research [J. M., T. T.], Roswell Park Memorial Institute, New York State Department of Health, Buffalo, New York 142623

Radiation sensitivity was determined by measuring spontaneous release from ⁵¹Cr-labeled cells in various lymphoid cell populations. Among six leukemia T-cell lines originating from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, four such lines were found to be highly radiosensitive. In contrast, two of the leukemic T-cell lines and four normal control B-cell lines were not radiosensitive.

Thymocytes from six patients and leukemia T-cell blasts from three patients with T-cell leukemia were likewise found to be highly radiosensitive, whereas leukemic blasts from six patients with null-cell (non-T, non-B-cell) acute lymphoblastic leukemia were not radiosensitive. Normal peripheral blood lymphocytes and mitogen-induced normal lymphoblasts were found not to be radiosensitive.

The results indicate that measurement of the radiation sensitivity of acute leukemic blasts may have a therapeutic significance in coping with the heterogeneous nature of individual leukemia cases.

¹ This study was supported by USPHS Grants CA-14413, CA-07918, and AI-08899; NIH General Research Grant RP 0548; and the Association for the Research of Childhood Cancer.

² Present address: Department of Pediatrics, Keio University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

³ To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

⁴ Present address: Department of Medicine, Okayama University, School of Medicine, Okayama, Japan.

⁵ Present address: The Vince T. Lombardi Cancer Research Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D. C. 20007.

Received 10/13/77. Accepted 3/ 7/78.