Surface antigenic profile and globin phenotype of two new human erythroleukemia lines: characterization and interpretations

Detailed characterization of the composite phenotype of two newly established erythroleukemia lines (OCIM1, OCIM2) shows that these lines share many of their erythroid markers (ie, surface antigens and globin program) as well as several of their nonerythroid properties (myeloid/monocytic/megakaryocytic) with the two known erythroleukemia lines (K562, HEL). In addition, each displays novel and instructive features. We argue that the surface and globin phenotype of all erythroleukemia lines is nonrandom and that it may be of physiologic relevance; it could represent the most prevalent phenotype of cells transformed by leukemia in vivo, and it raises the possibility that cells with similar potentials exist transiently during normal hematopoietic differentiation before their irreversible commitment to a single lineage. As such, these cells demonstrate a greater phenotypic adaptability in vitro than do their single lineage-committed counterparts since they can differentiate toward more than one lineage.