Evaluation of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 Expression Levels in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disease of nonproliferating and mature-appearing B lymphocytes. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a small peptide hormone and has mitogenic and antiapoptotic effects, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) has antiproliferative effects on cells. In this study, we investigated plasma levels of both IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in patients with CLL compared with controls, and we compared these plasma levels according to prognostic factors.


METHODS
Patients with newly diagnosed CLL who were being followed at the Haseki Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey, and volunteers were included in this study. Patients were stratified according to the Rai staging system. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 17.0 for Windows.


RESULTS
Forty-three patients [16 women (37%) and 27 men (63%)] were enrolled in this study. Twenty-one volunteers (11 women, 10 men) were included in the control group. The median age of the patients was 65±9 years (range: 18-63 years), and subjects in the control group were 68±8 years old (range: 18-63 years). Even though the plasma levels of IGF-1 were higher and those of IGFBP-3 were lower and the ratio of IGF-I/IGFBP-3 was higher in comparison with the control group, these differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). In the study group, IGF-1 levels appeared to be increased in parallel to more advanced Rai stages. There were no significant differences between the other groups (p=0.105).


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma IGF-I levels were found higher in patients than in the control group and plasma IGFBP-3 levels were lower; however, neither result was statistically significant. Plasma IGF level increment was observed in concordance with Rai staging. These results prompted us to think that plasma IGF-1 levels in CLL patients are correlated with tumor burden and Rai staging and therefore could be a valuable prognostic factor. Further comprehensive studies are required to support our results.
Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Clinic of Hematology, İstanbul, Turkey, Phone: +90 212 529 44 00/2048, E-mail: mesutayerdr@hotmail.com.
Mesut
M
Ayer
Abdullah
A
Sakin
Selim
S
Ay
Aylin
A
Ayer
Elif Gökçen
EG
Sazak
Melih
M
Aktan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; C515497:IGFBP3 protein, human; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I