title: Copper levels in patients with hematological malignancies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Copper levels are elevated in cancer patients compared to normal subjects. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between copper and hematological malignancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  84 patients with hematological diseases were studied, along with 50 healthy individuals. Copper was measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The patients were classified to 2 homogeneous groups, acute and chronic hematological neoplasms, respectively. For the patients with acute hematological malignancies, relapse and remission were investigated in relation to serum copper levels. For chronic hematological neoplasms, serum copper was connected either with stable or progressive disease. Zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70 (ZAP70) and CD38 expression, along with the unmutated VH immunoglobulin genes (IgVH) status were also determined for the 22 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  54 patients with relapse or progressive disease had elevated copper levels (mean value 1.8 mg/l), whereas 30 patients either in remission or in stable disease had normal copper levels (mean value 1.01 mg/l) (normal range 0.8-1.3mg/l).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hence, our study indicates that serum elevated copper levels are associated with hematological malignancies either in relapse or in disease progression, whereas normal copper levels are linked with hematological neoplasms in remission or in stable disease. Furthermore, we report for the first time an association between high serum copper levels and several adverse prognostic markers in CLL, such as increased expression of ZAP70 and CD38, along with elevated percentage of unmutated IgVH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgia D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kaiafa
authors.forename: Zoi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Saouli
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Diamantidis
authors.forename: Zisis
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kontoninas
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Voulgaridou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raptaki
authors.forename: Stergiani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arampatzi
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chatzidimitriou
authors.forename: Vasilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perifanis
mesh_terms: D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 / Q000097:blood; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000097:blood; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000097:blood; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D055815:Young Adult; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D003300:Copper; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; C497261:ZAP70 protein, human; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1