Application of analytical isotachophoresis in the study of platelet membrane proteins in patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders.

The supernatants of dispase-treated platelets from normal persons and patients with myeloproliferative disorders were analysed by capillary isotachophoresis. The examined myeloproliferative disorders were three cases of chronic myelogeneous leukemia, one case of chronic neutrophilic leukemia, one case of essential thrombocythemia and one case of polycythemia vera. An additional peak was revealed in the samples from the patients with chronic myelogeneous leukemia. Platelets from the other three patients showed no additional bands. Isotachophoresis will be useful not only to analyse the superficial peptide on the cell membrane but also to define the peptide associated with malignant transformation.