title: Prednisone induces immunophenotypic modulation of CD10 and CD34 in nonapoptotic B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Immunophenotypic modulation is induced by steroids in pediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) patients during remission induction therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We cultured BCP-ALL blasts from diagnostic bone marrow (BM) samples (n = 20) in the presence of prednisone on stroma layer obtained from BM-derived mesenchymal cells to maintain viability. Antigen expression was assessed by multiparametric flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Leukemia samples that sustained the treatment in vitro with prednisone, showed significative reduction of CD10 and CD34 expression compared with control, and it was comparable with that observed in residual leukemic cells of the same patients in BM at day 15 of treatment. Modulated cells were viable as determined by Annexin V staining and preserved light scattering properties. Of note, the extent of antigen modulation in vitro correlated with response to prednisone in vivo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prednisone-induced immunophenotypic modulation can be reproduced in vitro and this phenomenon may reflect sensitivity to chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Centro Ricerca M. Tettamanti, Clinica Pediatrica Università Milano-Bicocca, Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza, MI, Italy. giuseppe.gaipa@pediatriamonza.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gaipa
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aliprandi
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Migliavacca
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vallinoto
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Maglia
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faini
authors.forename: Marinella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veltroni
authors.forename: Dzvenyslava
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Husak
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schumich
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ratei
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: Michael N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Dworzak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000378:metabolism*; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D054448:Precursor Cells, B-Lymphoid / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015260:Neprilysin; D011241:Prednisone