Changes in intracellular taurine content of human leukemic cells.

Intracellular levels of the free amino acid taurine were measured in circulating granulocytes and mononuclear cells from 12 normal subjects and 27 patients with various types of leukemia, and in bone marrow cells from seven acute leukemias in blastic phase and 4 in remission. leukemic cells have consistently lower taurine levels compared to normal lymphocytes and granulocytes. Although taurine levels in the circulating granulocytes from patients with acute and chronic leukemias were normal, they were significantly lower in the group of patients with atypical AM L. The lowest taurine levels were observed in ihe mononuclear cells from patients with AM land All followed by those from patients with CMl and Cll, and then those from patients with atypical AML.ln AMl patients the levels increased to normal values during clinical remission. The bone marrow mononuclear cells of AM l in the blastic phase also had lower taurine levels compared to these in remission just same as peripheral blood cells do. These observations on the alteration in taurine content of both mononuclear cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow may be useful as a biochemical markcr in diagnosis as well as for prediction of relapse and effectiveness of chemotherapy on patients with various types of leukemia.