title: ZAP-70 expression and proliferative activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: The expression of 70 kDa protein zeta-associated protein (ZAP-70) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been used to detect those patients with more aggressive disease. The aim of this study was to determine the proliferative activity of ZAP-70(+) leukemic cells by immunocytochemical methods. The study was undertaken on native blood marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) smears from 65 patients with CLL. ZAP-70 was expressed in leukemic cells of 35 patients (54%). We demonstrated that ZAP-70 immunoreactivity correlated with Rai 0-IV (p = 0.002) and Binet A-C stages (p < 0.001), total tumor mass (TTM score) (p < 0.001), β2-microglobulin (p = 0.006), atypical lymphocytes (p < 0.001) and proliferative activity in bone marrow and peripheral blood (p = 0.014, p = 0.002, respectively) using χ(2) test and Mann-Whitney test. ZAP-70 protein expression is in direct correlation with the poorer prognostic parameters, which additionally confirms the successful method of detection of ZAP-70 expression. Higher Ki-67 expression in BM and PB smears of patients with ZAP-70(+) disease indicates higher proliferating compartments, which may contribute to poorer prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. vsoljic@gmail.com
authors.forename: Violeta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Šoljić
authors.forename: Renata Beljan
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Perak
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vukojević
authors.forename: Mirna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saraga-Babić
authors.forename: Pero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bubalo
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karan
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Todorović
authors.forename: Drago
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Batinić
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase