Immunophenotypic analysis of bone marrow slides of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome

Objective To study the immunophenotypes of the patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and evaluate its value for the early diagnosis and classification diagnosis of MDS. Methods Sixty first visiting patients with MDS, 14 patients with aplastic anemia (AA) and 21 normal control patients were examined for immunophenotypes of the marrow mononuclearcells using the immunocytochemistry method avidin biotin complex-alkaline phosphatase (ABC-AP). Results CD41 positive lymphoid micromegakaryocytes were detected specifically in the MDS group, especially in the group of refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD); Compared with the normal control group, the expression of CD13, CD33 ,and CD34 were increased in the group of refractory anaemia with excess blasts (RAEB) of MDS group, while the expression of CD3 was decreased. The expressions of CD13 and CD33 in the RCMD group were higher than that in control group,while the expression of CD34 had no significant increase and that of CD3 was decreased. No significant change was found in the expression of CD13, CD33, CD34, and CD3 in the refractory anemia/RA with ringed sideroblasts(RA/RAS) group. Conclusions Examination of the lymphoid micromegakaryocytes and the immunophenotypes of CD3, CD13, CD33, and CD34 by enzyme immunoassay were useful in early diagnosis and classification diagnosis of MDS. Key words: myelodysplastic syndrome;  lymphoid micromegakaryocyte;  immunophenotype;  diagnosis