title: Cytokine Contents in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Association with ZAP70 Expression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disease that shows varying clinical progression, and expression of the protein tyrosine kinase ZAP70 has been described as a very valuable prognostic factor. Patients with ZAP70 positivity are characterized by worse clinical course and significantly shorter progression-free and overall survival. In this study, intracytoplasmic interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) content of T, B, and CLL cells in CLL patients and their correlations with Rai staging and ZAP70 positivity were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  CLL patients newly diagnosed or in follow-up at the İstanbul University İstanbul Medical Faculty Hematology Department were included in this study. These patients were classified according to Rai staging and ZAP70 expression. IL-4, IFN-γ, and ZAP70 expressions in peripheral blood T, B, and CLL cells were measured by four-color flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant correlation between advanced disease and ZAP70 positivity. IL-4-secreting T cells were significantly increased; however, IFN-γ secretion was significantly decreased in CLL patients compared to healthy individuals, whereas IL-4-secreting B cells were significantly diminished in contrast to T cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest damage in the cellular immunity and that IL-4 might lead to many complications and may be important in disease progression.
authors.forename: Nilgün
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Işıksaçan
authors.forename: Suzan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Çınar
authors.forename: Esin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aktaş Çetin
authors.forename: Melih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aktan
authors.affiliation: İstanbul University Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Immunology, İstanbul, Turkey, Phone : +90 212 414 20 00 (pbx) 33306 E-mail: gdeniz@istanbul.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Günnur
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deniz
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D051746:ZAP-70 Protein-Tyrosine Kinase; C497261:ZAP70 protein, human