Clinical importance of interleukin-2 receptor alpha-chain expression in acute leukemia. The Japan Cooperative Group of Leukemia/Lymphoma.
To clarify the clinical importance of interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor (IL-2R) expression in acute leukemia, we examined 517 adult patients with acute leukemia and CML blast crisis (CML-BC). IL-2R alpha was expressed in 42/311 AML, 5/11 acute unclassified leukemia, 24/116 pre-B ALL, 2/32 T-ALL, and 27/47 CML-BC, while IL-2R beta was expressed only in 2 T-ALL. Expression of IL-2R alpha was closely associated with that of different lineage markers, CD11b, CD34, and Ph1+ abnormality. IL-2R alpha(+) non-T leukemic cells did not respond to IL-2. Clinical outcome of IL-2R alpha (+) leukemia showed lower response to conventional chemotherapy and poorer prognosis than IL-2R alpha (-) cases. Serum IL-2R alpha level in IL-2R alpha (+) cases increased at the onset. Our findings indicate the diagnostic importance of IL-2R alpha expression in acute leukemia as a prognostic risk factor with a close relation to the particular cellular characteristics.
Nakase
K
K
Department of Internal Medicine, Yamada Red Cross Hospital, Misono, Japan.
Kita
K
K
Kageyama
S
S
Tsuji
K
K
Miyanishi
E
E
Miwa
H
H
Tanaka
I
I
Shirakawa
S
S
Tanaka
I
I
Anazawa
H
H
Tsutani
H
H
Kyo
T
T
Dohy
H
H
Kamada
N
N
Doi
S
S
Nasu
K
K
Uchino
H
H
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2