A Rivkina1, I Holodnuka-Kholodyuk2, M Murovska2, M Soloveichika3, S Lejniece4. 1. Riga Stradins University, Internal Diseases Department, Riga LV1007, Latvia. 2. Riga Stradins University, A. Kirchenstein Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Riga LV1067, Latvia. 3. Riga Hematology Centre, Riga LV1006, Latvia. 4. Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital, Chemotherapeutic and Hematological Clinic, Riga LV1038, Latvia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Up to now, the immune status of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients in association with the expression of zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70 (ZAP-70) in leukemic cells has not been evaluated. AIM: The aim of this work was the study of the peripheral blood (PB) T-lymphocyte phenotypes in ZAP-70-positive (ZAP-70(+)) and ZAP-70-negative (ZAP-70(-)) untreated patients with CLL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ZAP-70-, CD25-, CD3-, CD4-, and CD8-positive lymphocytes were enumerated by flow cytometry in PB of 120 untreated CLL patients. CD8+, CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD25+ cells were counted for the non-leukemic lymphocytes. RESULTS: The patients were distributed into two groups: the ZAP-70(+) group of high CLL progression (n = 61), and the ZAP-70(-) group of low CLL progression (n = 59). In the ZAP-70(+) group, the ratio CD4/CD8 (0.33 ± 0.62; p = 0.001) and the numbers of the CD3+ (34.8 ± 8.1%; p = 0.01), CD3+CD4+ (24.4% ± 4.8; p = 0.001), and CD3+CD25+ (6.2 ± 0.91%; p = 0.001) lymphocytes were reduced and the percentage of the CD8+ cells (73.1 ± 4.6%; p = 0.0001) was above the norm. In the ZAP-70(-) group, the number of the CD3+CD4+ cells (36.9 ± 6.1%; p = 0.001) was within the norm, but the numbers of the CD8+ (11.3 ± 1.1%; p = 0.0001) and CD3+ (41.2 ± 5.3%; p = 0.05) lymphocytes were reduced; the ratio CD4/CD8 (3.26 ± 0.88; p = 0.001) and the percentage of the CD3+CD25+ cells (27.1 ± 3.4%; p = 0.0001) were above the norm. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that the increased CD4/CD8 ratio, caused by the reduced number of the CD8+ lymphocytes, and the increased number of CD3+CD25+ cells are characteristic for the ZAP-70(-) group (slow progressing) of untreated CLL patients. In ZAP-70(+) patients, the CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly below the norm indicating an active disease process. Results of our study contribute to identification of CLL patients with different prognosis in routine diagnostic/prognostic procedures.
BACKGROUND: Up to now, the immune status of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients in association with the expression of zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70 (ZAP-70) in leukemic cells has not been evaluated. AIM: The aim of this work was the study of the peripheral blood (PB) T-lymphocyte phenotypes in ZAP-70-positive (ZAP-70(+)) and ZAP-70-negative (ZAP-70(-)) untreated patients with CLL. MATERIALS AND METHODS:ZAP-70-, CD25-, CD3-, CD4-, and CD8-positive lymphocytes were enumerated by flow cytometry in PB of 120 untreated CLLpatients. CD8+, CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD25+ cells were counted for the non-leukemic lymphocytes. RESULTS: The patients were distributed into two groups: the ZAP-70(+) group of high CLL progression (n = 61), and the ZAP-70(-) group of low CLL progression (n = 59). In the ZAP-70(+) group, the ratio CD4/CD8 (0.33 ± 0.62; p = 0.001) and the numbers of the CD3+ (34.8 ± 8.1%; p = 0.01), CD3+CD4+ (24.4% ± 4.8; p = 0.001), and CD3+CD25+ (6.2 ± 0.91%; p = 0.001) lymphocytes were reduced and the percentage of the CD8+ cells (73.1 ± 4.6%; p = 0.0001) was above the norm. In the ZAP-70(-) group, the number of the CD3+CD4+ cells (36.9 ± 6.1%; p = 0.001) was within the norm, but the numbers of the CD8+ (11.3 ± 1.1%; p = 0.0001) and CD3+ (41.2 ± 5.3%; p = 0.05) lymphocytes were reduced; the ratio CD4/CD8 (3.26 ± 0.88; p = 0.001) and the percentage of the CD3+CD25+ cells (27.1 ± 3.4%; p = 0.0001) were above the norm. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that the increased CD4/CD8 ratio, caused by the reduced number of the CD8+ lymphocytes, and the increased number of CD3+CD25+ cells are characteristic for the ZAP-70(-) group (slow progressing) of untreated CLLpatients. In ZAP-70(+) patients, the CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly below the norm indicating an active disease process. Results of our study contribute to identification of CLLpatients with different prognosis in routine diagnostic/prognostic procedures.