No abstract

No abstract

Background/Aim: Galectins belong to the family of galactose-binding proteins known to play an important role in the processes of cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and neoplastic progression. Herein, we studied the expression of galectin-3 (Gal-3) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Materials and Methods: The expression of Gal-3 was analyzed by means of multiparametric flow cytometry in normal and pathological B-cells from peripheral blood and bone marrow samples of 67 patients with CLL. Results: Pathological B-cells expressed significantly higher levels of cytoplasmic Gal-3 than normal B-cells. Moreover, overexpression of cytoplasmic Gal-3 was observed in the prognostically poorest subgroup of CLL patients, namely those with 17p deletion. Conclusion: Our results indicate a possible role of galectin-3 in CLL pathophysiology and its potential value as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target.In hematological malignancies, galectins are involved in the regulation of numerous (patho)physiological events including cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, inflammatory responses, drug resistance, and tumor progression [reviewed in (1-3)]. The chimera-type lectin, galectin-3 (Gal-3), a 35-kDa protein coded by LGALS3 gene located on chromosome 14 (4), is widely expressed in humans, including all types of immune cell (macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, eosinophils, mast cells, natural killer cells, and activated T-and Bcells), epithelial cells, endothelial cells and sensory neurons [reviewed in (5)]. In patients with chronic B-cellderived neoplasms, high levels of Gal-3 protein were found in those with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, but it was not detected in Burkitt lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma or small lymphocytic lymphoma (6). In a single existing study of Gal-3 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (7), down-regulation of LGALS3 mRNA was observed in patients with CLL compared with healthy individuals. Higher representation of LGALS3 mRNA was observed in patients with indolent disease compared with the group with progressive disease.In the present study, we analyzed the expression of Gal-3 in patients with CLL by flow cytometry and, to our knowledge, for the first time studied possible relationships between its expression and prognostically significant chromosomal abnormalities, including deletions of 11q, 13q and 17p, and trisomy 12.

No abstract

We evaluated the prognostic impact of chromosomal abnormalities as detected by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (iFISH) in 86 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients. Overall, 39 of 86 (45%) patients displayed one (35%) or more (10%) chromosomal abnormalities, del13q (31%) being more frequently detected than trisomy 12 (19%) followed by del11q (17%), del17p (6%) and del6q (5%). Significant differences in the treatment free intervals (TFIs) were observed among individual cytogenetic subgroups (p=0.027) with the shortest mean TFIs in subgroups with del17p, del11q and trisomy 12 (10, 12 and 14 months, respectively) as compared to subgroups with normal cytogenetics (38 months) and del13q (68 months). Poor response to therapy was observed in subgroups with del11q (p=0.044) and trisomy 12 (p=0.047) while patients with normal cytogenetics had good response (p=0.003). Furthermore, del17p and del11q were associated with highest tumor burden and disease activity as reflected by corresponding laboratory data.