title: SLAM family predicting the initiation potential of human acute lymphoblastic leukemia in NOD/SCID mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The SLAM family recently has been reported to show an important biological role in lymphocyte development and immunological function, and it is efficient to highly purify hematopoietic stem cells using a simple combination of SLAM family members. To elucidate the presence of this family on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), as well as its relationship with the leukemia-initiating potential, we analyzed the expression pattern of this family members on human ALL progenitor cells, combined with serial xenotransplantation assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression analysis was carried out by flow cytometry. We combined the expression pattern of human CD(150), CD(244) and CD(48) with serial xenotransplantation of B-ALL progenitor cells to indicate their relationship.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD(48) and CD(244) were expressed on most B-ALL progenitor cells, the percentage being (93.08 ± 6.46)% and (63.37 ± 29.31)%, respectively. Interestingly, the proportion of CD(150)(+) cells declined obviously in engrafted cases ((24.94 ± 7.32)%) compared with non-engrafted cases ((77.54 ± 5.93)%, P < 0.01), which indicated that only blast cells with low percentage of CD(150)(+) population were able to reconstitute leukemia into primary, secondary and tertiary NOD/SCID mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLAM family members are present on B-ALL progenitor cells and the leukemia-initiating potential of leukemic blasts is correlated negatively with the proportion of CD(150)(+) cells, the percentage of which can serve as a useful predictor for engraftment success of B-ALL to immune deficient mice.
authors: Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
authors: Na
authors: N
authors: Wang
authors: Fei
authors: F
authors: Xiao
authors: Jin-Ping
authors: JP
authors: Liu
authors: Di
authors: D
authors: Wang
authors: Zhe
authors: Z
authors: Geng
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Shu-Yan
authors: SY
authors: Ma
authors: Li-Li
authors: LL
authors: Shu
authors: Tai-Ping
authors: TP
authors: Chen
authors: Jian-Feng
authors: JF
authors: Zhou
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D000071178:CD48 Antigen; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis; D000071176:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family; D000071177:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Member 1; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C084093:CD244 protein, human; D000071178:CD48 Antigen; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D000071176:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family; D000071177:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Member 1