A soluble form of CTLA-4 is present in paediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and correlates with CD1d+ expression.
CTLA-4 is a key factor in regulating and maintaining self tolerance, providing a negative signal to the T cell and thus limiting immune responses. Several polymorphisms within the CTLA-4 gene have been associated with an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases and, very recently, with susceptibility to human cancer. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a clonal disorder of lymphoid progenitors representing the most frequent malignancy of childhood. Here, we show the presence at significantly elevated levels of a circulating soluble form of CTLA-4 in 70% of B-ALL pediatric patients with active disease, the positive correlation between the percentage of leukemic B lymphocytes and the amount of serum sCTLA-4, and the expression of sCTLA-4 transcript by B cells in patients. Finally, a correlation between CD1d expression (a negative prognostic marker) and the sCTLA-4 in B-ALL patients was observed. This suggests a possible role of this soluble molecule as a marker of progression or severity of the neoplastic disease.
Department of Experimental Medicine - Section of Human Anatomy, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
Rita
R
Simone
Claudya
C
Tenca
Franco
F
Fais
Matteo
M
Luciani
Giulio
G
De Rossi
Giampaola
G
Pesce
Marcello
M
Bagnasco
Daniele
D
Saverino
D055610:Antigens, CD1d / Q000235:genetics*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D012995:Solubility
D055610:Antigens, CD1d; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C526877:CD1D protein, human; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger