BAFF and APRIL expression in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: correlation with biological and clinical features

Leuk Res. 2009 Oct;33(10):1319-27. doi: 10.1016/j.leukres.2009.03.030. Epub 2009 Apr 23.

Abstract

B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) are involved in normal B cell survival and differentiation. We analyzed BAFF and APRIL plasma levels in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). We also tested intracellular BAFF and APRIL expression in B-CLL and evaluated their prognostic relevance. The percentage of leukemic B cells with intracellular APRIL or BAFF expression correlated significantly with adverse prognostic factors such as ZAP-70 and CD38. Moreover, we found a close relationship between LPL protein expression or LPL/ADAM29 MFI ratio and proportion of B-CLL cells with intracellular BAFF or APRIL expression. Furthermore, patients with a low percentage of leukemic cells with intracellular BAFF or APRIL expression had a significantly longer overall survival than those with a high proportion of APRIL or BAFF positive leukemic cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • B-Cell Activating Factor / blood
  • B-Cell Activating Factor / genetics*
  • B-Cell Activating Factor / metabolism
  • B-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / blood
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / genetics*
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / mortality
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • RNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Survival Analysis
  • Survivors
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / blood
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / genetics*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / metabolism

Substances

  • B-Cell Activating Factor
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • TNFSF13 protein, human
  • TNFSF13B protein, human
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13