[The expression of CXCR4 on acute leukemia cells and its implication for extramedullary infiltration].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of CXCR4 in acute leukemic cells and its clinical significance.


METHODS
Bone marrow samples from 73 acute leukemia patients and leukemic cell lines were investigated by flow cytometry (FCM), the expression of SDF-1 in human marrow stromal cells and meninges were studied by using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Adhesion, migration and invasion of U937, NB4 and K562 cells were studied in vitro.


RESULTS
The expression rates of CXCR4 in ALL and AML patients was 65.6% and 17.1%, respectively. And it was 0.2%, 41.0% and 52.0% in K562, U937 and NB4 cells, respectively. The extramedullary infiltration rates were 61.9% and 18.2% for CXCR4 positive and negative groups of ALL, respectively (P < 0.05); while in AML, the number of peripheral white blood cells in CXCR4 positive group was lower than that in CXCR4 negative group (P < 0.05). SDF-1alpha could enhance the adhesion, migration and invasion capacity of leukemic cells in vitro.


CONCLUSIONS
Overexpression of CXCR4 in AL cells might be the molecular mechanism of extramedullary infiltration in leukemia.
Li
Sheng
S
The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
Chen
Zi-xing
ZX
Wang
Wei
W
Chen
Jian-nong
JN
Fu
Jian-xin
JX
Yao
Li
L
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D017254:Leukemic Infiltration / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008578:Meninges / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020298:U937 Cells
D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4