Globin RNA sequences in human leukaemic peripheral blood

EVIDENCE for the involvement of more than one cell line and even interconversion of different forms of human leukaemia suggests that the neoplastic transformation occurs in a common stem cell1. Although erythroid leukaemias are very rare in humans, disturbances in haemopoiesis or haemoglobin synthesis2 are common in leukaemia, suggesting the possible involvement of erythroid precursors. We show here, by the use of sensitive cDNA (complementary DNA)–RNA hybridisation, that in a substantial number of human leukaemias globin RNA sequences can be demonstrated in nuclear RNA prepared from highly purified leukaemic cell populations.