title: Decreased expression of CXCR4 chemokine receptor in bone marrow after chemotherapy in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphomas is a good prognostic factor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CXCR4 chemokine receptor is constitutively expressed on normal and malignant B lymphocytes derived from patients with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders and has a significant role in cell migration to lymph nodes and bone marrow. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) constitute a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative diseases, which can localize not only to lymph nodes, but also can migrate to peripheral blood and metastase to other organs, including bone marrow.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine CXCR4 gene expression in peripheral blood and bone marrow of NHL patients before and after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of lymphoma lymph nodes, peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirates of patients with B-cell NHL were taken at diagnosis and after chemotherapy. Gene expression was determined by the reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction method. Expression was estimated from 0 AU (no amplificate signal) to 3 AU (maximal amplificate signal).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference in the level of CXCR4 expression was found in reactive lymph nodes compared to lymphoma samples We observed high level of CXCR4 expression in most patients before treatment: in bone marrow: 3 AU-10 pts, 2 AU-8 pts, 1 AU-2 pts. In peripheral blood: 3 AU-14 pts, 2 AU-4 pts, 1 AU-1 pts, 0 AU-1 pts. After chemotherapy, significant decrease in CXCR4 expression was observed. Bone marrow: 3 AU-5 pts, 2 AU-7 pts, 1 AU-5 pts, 0 AU-3 pts (p = 0.03). Peripheral blood: 3 AU-2 pts, 2 AU-6 pts, 1 AU-10 pts, 0 AU-2 pts (p = 0.0002). There was a good response to treatment in patients with significant decrease of CXCR4 expression in the bone marrow after treatment with 10-fold lower risk of death (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decrease in CXCR4 expression in the bone marrow of NHL patients after chemotherapy may be a good prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Internal and Occupational Diseases and Hypertension, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazur
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Haematology, Blood Neoplasms and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland; Department of Physiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Butrym
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, L. Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kryczek
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, L. Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dlubek
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, L. Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jaskula
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, L. Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Haematology, Blood Neoplasms and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuliczkowski
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathomorphology and Oncological Cytology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jelen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019046:Bone Marrow Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: C527276:CXCR4 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4