title: CD26 expression in mature B-cell neoplasia: its possible role as a new prognostic marker in B-CLL.
abstract: CD26 (dipeptidyl peptidase IV, DPP IV) is widely expressed by T and natural killer (NK) cells, epithelial and endothelial cells of different tissues, and it is strongly upregulated in activated B-cells; moreover it plays a regulatory role in the neoplastic transformation and progression of various types of tumours. CD26 expression was evaluated by means of flow cytometry in various peripheral B-cell lymphoid tumours: 12 follicular and 12 mantle cell lymphomas, 20 multiple myelomas (MMs), 12 hairy cell leukaemias (HCLs), 112 chronic lymphocytic leukaemias (CLLs), 20 CD5(negative) B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative diseases (CD5(neg) B-CLPDs) and 12 diffuse large cell lymphomas (DLCLs). CD26 expression was absent or barely detectable in follicular and mantle cell lymphomas, high in MMs and HCLs, and variable in CLLs, in CD5(neg) B-CLPDs and in DLCLs. CD26 significantly correlated with CD49d and CD38 expressions (p < 0.0001) in B-CLLs, and there was a significant correlation between CD26 and ZAP-70 expressions or IgVH mutational status (p < 0.0001). After a median follow-up of 36 months, 65 B-CLL patients were treated; taking 10% as the best CD26 cut-off value, Kaplan-Meier curves revealed a significantly shorter time to treatment in the CD26-positive cases (p < 0.0001). Overall, our data indicate that CD26 expression may identify subsets of B-CLL patients with an unfavourable clinical outcome in terms of therapeutic need, thus suggesting its potential role as a marker (together with CD38 and CD49d) in a future routine cytofluorimetric panel to be validated for the prognostic stratification of B-CLLs.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico MaRe, IRCCS, Centro di Genetica Molecolare, UO Ematologia 1/CTMO, Laboratorio diagnostica onco-ematologica, 20122Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Lilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cro
authors.forename: Fortunato
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Morabito
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zucal
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lionetti
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cutrona
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrario
authors.forename: Manlio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrarini
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molica
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baldini
mesh_terms: D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D015448:Leukemia, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011379:Prognosis; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; C497261:ZAP70 protein, human; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4