title: Prognostic significance of CD44v6/v7 in acute promyelocytic leukemia.
abstract: CD44v, especially splice variants containing exon v6, has been shown to be related closely to development of different tumors. High levels of CD44v6/v7 have been reported to be associated with invasiveness and metastasis of many malignancies. The objective of this study was to detect expression of CD44v6-containing variants in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and evaluate the potential of CD44v6/v7 for risk stratification. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by PCR product purification, ligation into T vectors and positive clone sequencing were used to detect CD44 v6-containing variant isoforms in 23 APL patients. Real-time quantitative PCR of the CD44v6/v7 gene was performed in patients with APL and in NB4 cells that were treated with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) or arsenic trioxide (As2O3). Sequencing results identified four isoforms (CD44v6/v7, CD44v6/v8/v10, CD44v6/v8/v9/v10, and CD44v6/v7/v8/v9/v10) in bone marrow mononuclear cells of 23 patients with APL. The level of CD44v6/v7 in high-risk cases was significantly higher than those with low-risk. Higher levels of CD44v6/v7 were found in three patients with central nervous system relapse than in other patients inthe same risk group. Furthermore, in contrast to ATRA, only As2O3 could significantly down-regulate CD44v6/v7 expression in NB4 cells. Our data suggest that CD44v6/v7 expression may be a prognostic indicator for APL.
authors.affiliation: Fujian Institute of Hematology, Affiliated Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yuan-Zhong
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001152:Arsenicals; C497483:CD44 protein, human; C112697:CD44v6 antigen; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D010087:Oxides; D014212:Tretinoin; D000077237:Arsenic Trioxide