title: Analysis of natural killer-associated antigens in peripheral blood and bone marrow of multiple myeloma patients and prognostic implications.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse the expression of NK-associated antigens in both peripheral blood and bone marrow lymphocytes from a large series of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients. 112 patients with untreated multiple myeloma (MM) were included in the study. 36 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were used as controls for peripheral blood (PB) studies and 14 for the bone marrow (BM) studies. Simultaneous stainings with the CD3/CD56, CD2/CD16 and CD8/CD57 monoclonal antibodies were systematically performed in PB and CD3/CD56 and CD2/CD16 in BM in order to analyse their relationship with the clinical and biological characteristics of the disease and survival. The expression of NK-associated antigens (CD56, CD16 and CD57) assessed within the lymphoid gate, was significantly increased (P < 0.001) in the PB of MM patients both in relative and absolute numbers. In the BM a significant increase in the percentage of CD56+ lymphocytes (P < 0.001) was also observed; in contrast, the proportion of CD16+ cells did not differ significantly from that of normal BM samples. The number of CD56+CD3- lymphocytes increased significantly within high-risk patients (869 +/- 671) as compared to intermediate (388 +/- 212) and low-risk patients (274 +/- 199) (P = 0.04). Moreover, patients with high values of CD56+CD3- lymphocytes showed a statistically significant association with several adverse prognostic factors including anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, renal failure, high beta 2M, DNA diploidy and high S-phase plasma cells. In addition, patients with higher absolute numbers of PB CD56+CD3-lymphocytes displayed a poorer prognosis, whereas patients with higher values of CD57+CD8- cells had a better outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, University Hospital of Salamanca, University of Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Sanz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orfão
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Borrego
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carnero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bárez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Portero
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: San Miguel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D018959:CD57 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000276:immunology*; D011379:Prognosis; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D017452:Receptors, IgG