Abstract
Adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity was determined in peripheral blood T cells, thymocytes and blasts of 42 acute leukemia patients. Thymocytes had higher ADA activity than mature peripheral blood T cells. B ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) cells had significantly lower activity compared with T ALL and non-B,non-T cells. The latter had a wide range of enzymatic activities but mostly in the T cell range. Based on these results, as well as on assays of B and T cell lines, it seems that thymus-derived cells - and especially prethymic and immature T cells - have high ADA activity. This finding could be useful in subtyping the heterogeneous group of non-B, non-T ALL.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 925-927 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Israel Journal of Medical Sciences |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 11 |
State | Published - 1979 |
Externally published | Yes |