Human leukemias: A preliminary 2-D electrophoretic analysis

We have investigated the qualitative and quantitative differences in the two‐dimensional (2‐D) gel fluorographic patterns of biosynthetically pulse‐labeled cellular proteins from the malignant cells of patients with various leukemias (acute myelogenous, acute lymphoblastic, chronic lymphocytic, and hairy cell). Significant similarities and differences between the major types of leukemias were found. An initial small data base was constructed using our GELLAB computer analysis system for 2‐D gels in order to define methods for data base definition, normalization, and visual verification of results. Search strategies to find significant spot differences, both qualitative and quantitative, between currently accepted classes of leukemias were explored. Potential methods of expressing in a summary statistic the overall similarities and differences between gels were also investigated. A series of proteins whose relative synthetic rates may serve as potential markers of states of differentiation in human leukemias were identified in this initial data base and are reported here.