Histone abnormalities in adult acute leukemias.

Arginine-rich and lysine-rich histones were extracted from various cytologic types of leukemic blasts and from preparations rich in normal monocytes. On polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis, the patterns of normal monocyte histones closely resembled those found in acute histiomonocytic leukemia (Schilling type). The electrophoretic patterns of histones obtained from leukemic blasts in acute myelomonocytic leukemia (Naegeli type) were similar to those found in both acute myelobastic leukemia and chronic granulocytic leukemia. The results support the concept that acute myelomonocytic leukemia may be closely related to, or a variant of, acute myeloblastic leukemia, and that acute histiomonocytic leukemia is most probably a monocytic rather than a myeloblastic disorder. In addition to accepted morphologic and enzymatic criteria, the present studies suggest that differences in histone patterns might be useful in further distinguishing between histiomonocytic, myeloblastic, and myelomonocytic leukemias.