title: TACI expression and signaling in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: TACI is a membrane receptor of BAFF and APRIL, contributing to the differentiation and survival of normal B cells. Although malignant B cells are also subjected on TACI signaling, there is a remarkable intradisease and interindividual variability of TACI expression in B-cell malignancies. The aim of our study was to explore the possible role of TACI signaling in the biology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including its phenotypic and clinical characteristics and prognosis. Ninety-four patients and 19 healthy controls were studied. CLL patients exhibited variable TACI expression, with the majority of cases displaying low to undetectable TACI, along with low to undetectable BAFF and increased APRIL serum levels compared to healthy controls. CLL cells with high TACI expression displayed a better survival capacity in vitro, when cultured with BAFF and/or APRIL. Moreover, TACI expression was positively correlated with the presence of monoclonal gammopathy and inversely with CD11c expression. Therefore, our study provides further evidence for the contribution of BAFF/APRIL signaling to CLL biology, suggesting also that TACI detection might be useful in the selection of patients for novel targeting therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology & Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 3, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Antigoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mamara
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology & Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 3, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasios E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Germenis
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology & Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 3, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kompoti
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 3, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palassopoulou
authors.affiliation: Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Ippokration Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Konstantinoupoleos 49, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Eudokia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mandala
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Periferiaki Odos Thessalonikis, Nea Efkarpia, 56429 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banti
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 3, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giannakoulas
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology & Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis 3, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Matthaios
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1287-7734
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Speletas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D039521:CD11c Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D053303:Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D039521:CD11c Antigen; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C108467:TNFRSF13B protein, human; C114631:TNFSF13 protein, human; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; D053303:Transmembrane Activator and CAML Interactor Protein; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13