Detection of tryptase in cytoplasmic granules of basophils in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and other myeloid neoplasms.

Tryptases are serine proteases primarily expressed in mast cells. Normal blood basophils express only trace amounts of the enzyme. However, recent immunohistochemical studies have raised the possibility that neoplastic basophils express significant amounts of tryptase. In this study, tryptase expression was analyzed in normal and neoplastic basophils by immunoelectron microscopy using antitryptase monoclonal antibody G3. Basophils were obtained from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF), and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and from healthy donors. Tryptase-immunoreactive material was detected in cytoplasmic granules of basophils in CML, IMF, and MDS. By contrast, normal basophils did not contain significant amounts of tryptase by immunoelectron microscopy. As assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, neoplastic basophils contained messenger RNA (mRNA) for alpha-tryptase, but no beta-tryptase mRNA. In summary, these data provide evidence that neoplastic basophils in CML, IMF, and MDS can express detectable amounts of tryptase. Therefore, tryptase should not be regarded as specific for mast cells when neoplastic myeloid cells are analyzed.