High-level secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha contributes to hematopoietic failure in hairy cell leukemia.
Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is frequently associated with severe pancytopenia. The authors detected high levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in the bone marrow serum of patients with HCL and found anti-TNF-alpha neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to be able to enhance hematopoiesis of HCL patients in in vitro colony assays. As potent producers of TNF-alpha, hairy cells could be identified, thus implicating the malignant population in the pathogenesis of hematopoietic failure due to inappropriate secretion of this cytokine.
Lindemann
A
A
Department of Hematology, University of Mainz, FRG.
Ludwig
W D
WD
Oster
W
W
Mertelsmann
R
R
Herrmann
F
F
D006413:Hematopoietic System / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha