title: Thalidomide treatment reduces apoptosis levels in bone marrow cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.
abstract: We treated with thalidomide seven patients with primary MDS and observed reduction of the transfusion requirement in three cases and reduction of bone marrow blasts in one case. The apoptotic rate of bone marrow cells diminished significantly from a mean of 43.8% to a mean of 17.5%, whereas the proliferative activity did not change. Plasma TNF-alpha, bFGF, IL-1beta levels decreased variably, whereas VEGF levels tended to increase. Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 expression decreased in bone marrow cells of responders. A reduction of CD4 cells and an increase of NK cells was observed in the peripheral blood. Thus, thalidomide may produce a fairly good hematological improvement in erythroid series in MDS, with complex biological mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology, University of Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy. r.invernizzi@smatteo.pv.it
authors.forename: Rosangela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Invernizzi
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Travaglino
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Amici
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brugnatelli
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ramajoli
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rovati
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benatti
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ascari
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D013792:Thalidomide