title: Expression and release of CD27 in human B-cell malignancies.
abstract: CD27, a transmembrane disulfide-linked 55-kD homodimer, belongs to the nerve growth factor-receptor family, a group of homologous molecules involved in lymphocyte differentiation and selection. It is expressed on mature thymocytes, peripheral blood T cells, and a subpopulation of B cells. We investigated the expression of CD27 on malignant B cells representative for a broad range of stages in physiologic antigen-independent and -dependent B-cell development. In normal lymphoid tissue CD27+ B cells were only found in the peripheral blood (29.8% +/- 10.8%, n = 13) and in germinal centers. With the exception of pro-B and the majority of pre-pre-B acute lymphocytic leukemias and of myelomas, CD27 expression of variable intensity was detected on almost all immature and mature malignant B cells tested. Moreover, using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay we could show the presence of sometimes very high (up to 6,000 U/mL; normal values < 190 U/mL) amounts of the soluble 28- to 32-kD form of CD27 (sCD27) in the sera of patients with B-cell malignancies. The highest levels of sCD27 were observed in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Most importantly, both in transversal and longitudinal studies, we found a strong correlation between sCD27 levels in the serum and tumor load, indicating that sCD27 can be used as a disease-marker in patients with acute and chronic B-cell malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: van Oers
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Pals
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Evers
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: van der Schoot
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koopman
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bonfrer
authors.forename: R Q
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Hintzen
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: von dem Borne
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: van Lier
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000276:immunology; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7