DEMONSTRATION OF HISTONES IN PROERYTHROBLASTS IN PERNICIOUS ANEMIA AND THE DI GUGLIELMO SYNDROME

Cytochemical studies on histones of proerythroblasts from patients with pernicious anemia and the Di Guglielmo syndrome were performed. Reduced amounts of histones were found in the proerythroblasts of pernicious anemia using the alkaline fast green stain. Ammoniacal silver staining indicated predominantly lysine-rich histone in the nuclei of pernicious anemia proerythroblasts. Using the same stain, the nuclei of Di Guglielmo proerythroblasts demonstrated a "speckled" pattern, indicating discrete deposits of arginine-rich histone. The relationships which may exist between these findings and the pathogenesis of megaloblastic and megaloblastoid erythropoiesis are discussed.