TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased serum BAFF (B-cell activating factor of the TNF family) level is a peculiar feature associated with familial chronic lymphocytic leukemia
AU - Molica, Stefano
AU - Digiesi, Giovanna
AU - Mauro, Francesca
AU - Mirabelli, Rosanna
AU - Cutrona, Giovanna
AU - Vitelli, Gaetano
AU - Morabito, Fortunato
AU - Iuliano, Francesco
AU - Foà, Robin
AU - Ferrarini, Manlio
PY - 2009/1
Y1 - 2009/1
N2 - In a series of 84 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients we sought to establish whether BAFF (B-cell activating factor of the TNF family) circulating levels correlated with clinical characteristics of disease. BAFF serum levels were significantly higher in 20 healthy controls (i.e., median 695 ng/mL, range 389-1040) in comparison to the whole population of CLL patients (median 376, range 93-8914; P <0.0001). After setting a cut-off at the median value observed in healthy controls (i.e., 695 ng/mL) we found that 6 out of 15 (40%) patients with familial CLL had increased BAFF levels while the same occurred only in 5 out of 64 (7.2%) patients with sporadic CLL (P = 0.0007). No significant difference in age (P = 0.82), sex (P = 0.97), Binet clinical stage (P = 0.20), incidence of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) or immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) (P = 0.47), mutational status of IgVH (P = 1.00), CD38 (P = 0.34) and ZAP-70 expression (P = 0.16) could be detected between patients with sporadic and familial CLL, respectively. The only feature characterizing familial CLL patients was a higher serum BAFF level (sporadic CLL 336 ng/mL, range 93-925; familial CLL 601 ng/mL, range 138-8914; P = 0.002). Our data suggest that BAFF levels are elevated in patients with familial CLL. The small cohort of patients used implies that a larger study is needed to reinforce the observation.
AB - In a series of 84 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients we sought to establish whether BAFF (B-cell activating factor of the TNF family) circulating levels correlated with clinical characteristics of disease. BAFF serum levels were significantly higher in 20 healthy controls (i.e., median 695 ng/mL, range 389-1040) in comparison to the whole population of CLL patients (median 376, range 93-8914; P <0.0001). After setting a cut-off at the median value observed in healthy controls (i.e., 695 ng/mL) we found that 6 out of 15 (40%) patients with familial CLL had increased BAFF levels while the same occurred only in 5 out of 64 (7.2%) patients with sporadic CLL (P = 0.0007). No significant difference in age (P = 0.82), sex (P = 0.97), Binet clinical stage (P = 0.20), incidence of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) or immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) (P = 0.47), mutational status of IgVH (P = 1.00), CD38 (P = 0.34) and ZAP-70 expression (P = 0.16) could be detected between patients with sporadic and familial CLL, respectively. The only feature characterizing familial CLL patients was a higher serum BAFF level (sporadic CLL 336 ng/mL, range 93-925; familial CLL 601 ng/mL, range 138-8914; P = 0.002). Our data suggest that BAFF levels are elevated in patients with familial CLL. The small cohort of patients used implies that a larger study is needed to reinforce the observation.
KW - BAFF
KW - Familial CLL
KW - Prognosis
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U2 - 10.1016/j.leukres.2008.05.004
DO - 10.1016/j.leukres.2008.05.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 18556064
AN - SCOPUS:55049131371
VL - 33
SP - 162
EP - 165
JO - Leukemia Research
JF - Leukemia Research
SN - 0145-2126
IS - 1
ER -