Abstract: Eight samples of bone marrow coming from patients affected by acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and nine samples from patients suffered from chronic myeloid leukemia(CML) were studied by FTIRspectroscopy. Obvious differences are observed among the erythrocytes, granulocytes and lymphocytes. No significant differences are found in the granulocytes/lymphocytes between AMLand CMLsamples whereas the spectroscopic differences of leukemic erythrocytes are observed. The ratios of the integrated areas of the band at 1540 cm^-1 and 1084 cm^-1 in the spectra of erythrocytes from AMLare closer and lower than the corresponding ratios from CMLsamples. Compared to that of CML, the erythrocytes from AMLshow broader amide band Ⅰ and have a higher percentage of α helix in the secondary structures of proteins. These differences indicate the different contributions of red cells in erythrocytic series in the erythropoietic development from proerythroblast to the matured erythrocytes. The results imply the maturation of red cells in bone marrow is related to the proliferation of leukemic cells. The noticeable differences may have important implications for analyzing and evaluating leukemia.

Key words: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Leukemia, Blood cells in bone marrow