title: Serum soluble TACI, a BLyS receptor, is a powerful prognostic marker of outcome in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: BLyS is involved in CLL biology and its low soluble serum levels related to a shorter time to first treatment (TFT). TACI is a BLyS receptor and can be shed from cells' surface and circulate in soluble form (sTACI). We investigated the impact of serum BLyS and sTACI levels at diagnosis in CLL patients and their relationship with disease parameters and patients' outcome. Serum BLyS was determined in 73 patients, while sTACI in 60. Frozen sera drawn at diagnosis were tested by ELISA. sTACI concentrations correlated with BLyS (P = -0.000021), b2-microglobulin (P = 0.005), anemia (P = -0.03), thrombocytopenia (P = 0.04), Binet stage (P = 0.02), and free light chains ratio (P = 0.0003). Soluble BLyS levels below median and sTACI values above median were related to shorter TFT (P = 0.0003 and 0.007). During a ten-year followup, sTACI levels, but not BLyS, correlated with survival (P = 0.048). In conclusion, we confirmed the prognostic significance of soluble BLyS levels with regard to TFT in CLL patients, and, more importantly, we showed for the first time that sTACI is a powerful prognostic marker, related to parameters of disease activity and staging and, more importantly, to TFT and OS.
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kyrtsonis
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sarris
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Efstathios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koulieris
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maltezas
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Eftychia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Angelopoulou
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bartzis
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tzenou
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dimou
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Mariana P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Siakandaris
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nora A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Viniou
authors.affiliation: Hematology Clinic of Athens' Medical Center, Andersen 1, Psychiko, 11525 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sachanas
authors.affiliation: Hematology Clinic of Athens' Medical Center, Andersen 1, Psychiko, 11525 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kalpadakis
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Petros P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Sfikakis
authors.affiliation: Hematology Clinic of Athens' Medical Center, Andersen 1, Psychiko, 11525 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Gerassimos A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pangalis
authors.affiliation: Hematology Section of the First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Agiou Thoma 17, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Panayiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panayiotidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood*; D053303:Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C120197:BLyS receptor; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C108467:TNFRSF13B protein, human; D053303:Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein