title: Significance of neuropilin-1 expression in acute myeloid leukemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neuropilin-1 is a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor that acts as a mediator of angiogenesis. Its importance in hematological malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of neuropilin-1 expression in AML patients by both flow cytometry and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in regard to its diagnostic and prognostic values.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bone marrow aspirates of 44 patients with de novo AML and 12 relapsed AML patients were examined in this study. Ten subjects with nonhematological malignancy serving as the control group were also included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neuropilin-1 expression by flow cytometry showed a highly significant increase in de novo and relapsed AML patients with a mean of 27.1±17.5% and 21.5±16.6%, respectively, compared to control group's mean of 3.4±1.9%. A cut-off value of 6% was established as differentiating patients from the control group. By real-time PCR, no statistical significance was found in de novo and relapsed AML patients with a mean of 1.9±3.6 IU/L and 0.3±0.2 IU/L, respectively, compared to the control group's mean of 0.3±0.1 IU/L. Neuropilin-1 surface expression by flow cytometry showed a significant correlation with total leukocyte count and a negative correlation with hemoglobin level in de novo AML patients. In relapsed AML patients, positive significant correlations were found with age, bone marrow blast percentage, and CD14. Neuropilin-1 mRNA level by real-time PCR showed a positive significant correlation with peripheral blood blast percentage and CD117 and a negative correlation with hemoglobin level in de novo AML patients. In relapsed patients, a positive correlation was found with lactate dehydrogenase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neuropilin-1 can be used as a tool for diagnosis and prognosis in AML patients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  None declared.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Tarif H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Sallam
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Manal A Shams Eldin
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El Telbany
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hanan M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Sanaa University, Sanaa, Yemen.
authors.forename: Mutea A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Iskander
keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Neuropilin-1