title: The biological characteristics of adult CD34+ acute promyelocytic leukemia.
abstract: We aimed to explore the expression of CD34 and its impact on the disease outcome in patients with APL. The study comprised 40 de novo APL patients. Diagnostic tools included peripheral blood and bone marrow morphology and cytochemistry, immunophenotyping, cytogenetic studies, and PML/RARα fusion gene detection using RT-PCR. CD34 was expressed in 13 (32.5%) of cases with higher expression in M3v compared to M3 subtype. All M3v cases were CD34+, while only 7.4% of M3 cases were CD34+. CD34+ cases were associated with significant higher white blood cell count and peripheral blood promyelocytes. No significant association was found between PML/RAR-α isoform and molecular remission. CD34+ expression was significantly associated with decreased incidence of molecular remission and increased incidence of early death. The overall survival of patients with WBC count >11 × 103/μl was inferior to patients with WBC count <11 × 103/μl, but no significant differences were observed in overall survival between CD34- and CD34+ or between bcr1 and bcr3 groups. Immunophenotypic analysis for CD34 could distinguish an APL subset with different biological characteristics and adverse prognostic outcome.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Sharqyiah Governorate, Zagazig 44519, Egypt. ebtesam_khalil@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ebtesam Ibrahim
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Hosneia Kh
authors.initials: HKh
authors.lastname: Akl
authors.forename: Mona E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hashem
authors.forename: Tarek Ali M
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Elgohary
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C093476:promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha fusion oncoprotein