No abstract

Human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) is a non-classical major histocompatibility class Ib antigen with multiple immune regulatory functions including the induction of immune tolerance in malignancies. The goal of our study was to investigate the expression of membrane form of HLA-G in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) before and after therapy in a trial to evaluate its role as a tumor escape mechanism and prognosis. So we measured its expression by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 25 (ALL) patients and 15 healthy controls and correlated our findings with a variety of clinical and laboratory variables and two important cytokines, IL-10 and INF-γ, and with natural killer (NK) cells. Serum levels of IL-10 and INF-γ were measured by ELISA. NK cells were quantitated by flow cytometry. The best cutoff values for the investigated markers were determined by ROC curve. The current study showed that membrane-bound HLA-G expression levels and positivity rates above the cutoff value 0.37 were significantly higher in ALL patients at diagnosis compared to after therapy and both showed significant higher levels than in normal control group (P < 0.01). Moreover, IL-10 and INF-γ serum levels were significantly elevated in ALL patients at time of diagnosis compared to healthy controls with a significant reduction in their levels in ALL patients after receiving chemotherapy. Membrane HLA-G expression showed a significant positive correlation with lactate dehydrogenase, peripheral and bone marrow blast cells and with IL-10 and INF-γ. The positive correlation of membrane HLA-G expression with both IL-10 and INF-γ serum levels supports the speculation that both cytokines may be involved in the control of HLA-G expression. HLA-G showed a negative correlation with NK cells confirming its importance in tumor escape through down-regulation of NK cells. In conclusion, HLA-G expression could be used as a prognostic tumor marker to monitor disease state and improvement in ALL.

Background: Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a clonal disease of a hematopoietic stem cell. The incidence of this disease is about 15% of leukemias and may be present at any age. The presence of the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome confirms the diagnosis of CML. The expression of the Patched homolog 1 gene (PTCH1) has been proposed as a prognostic marker of imatinib response in chronic phase chronic myeloid leukaemia (CP-CML) patients. Aim: This study aimed to measure the level of PTCH1 protein in newly diagnosed CP-CML and to find correlation between its level in those patients and response to first line of treatment, imatinib and other prognostic factors.Patients and Methods: Our study enrolled 50 patients of newly diagnosed CP-CML. We have measured the level of PTCH1 protein initially once the patient diagnosed and after 6 months of treatment with imatinib by ELISA test. Results: There was highly significant difference between initial PTCH1 level and its level after 6 months of imatinib treatment (P=0.000). The level of PTCH 1 was correlated significantly with the molecular response both at the beginning of treatment with imatinib and six months later. (P=0.002), (p=0.001) respectively. Conclusion:To the best of our knowledge that we are the first to report on PTCH1 protein as a new diagnostic and prognostic marker in CP-CML patients.

Background: Acute myeloid leukaemia is considered one of the heterogeneous hematologic cancers that have a range of therapeutic modalities, genetic abnormalities, and prognoses. AML treatment that is effective is still difficult. Increasing anti-tumor response by inhibiting immunological checkpoints is an appealing approach for leukaemia treatments. An essential immunological checkpoint known as CD200 is the ligand for CD200 receptor (CD200R), which is present on myeloid and lymphoid cells. CD200R limits anti-tumor immune responses. Aim of work:To research the relationship between CD200 and the response outcome to induction therapy in adult AML Egyptian patients.Methods: Ain Shams University's clinical pathology department, internal medicine department, clinical hematology and bone marrow transplantation center, and flow cytometry laboratory all participated in this prospective cross-sectional study on 68 adult patients who were recently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.Results: Median of CD200 expression was 7.8 (1.3-45) for the responder group compared to 87.7 (77-88.6) for the non-responder group, Compared to the responder group, the CD200 % in the nonresponder group had a statistically significant greater value (p 0.001).According to the CD200 level, there was a statistically significant difference between the responder group and the non-responder group with a p-value of (p0.001). The higher positive CD200 was found in non-responder group 31 patients (100%) compared to responder group 18 patients (48.6%). Conclusion:AML development may be influenced by CD200 expression in myeloid blasts from patients with the disease. In the future, this marker's analysis may be used as a prognostic indicator and to direct treatment for AML patients.