Feasibly of CD24/CD11b as a Screening Test for Hematological Malignancies

Abstract

An estimated 1.24 million blood cancer cases occur annually worldwide, accounting for approximately 6% of all cancer cases. Currently, there are no standardized hematology cancer screening tests that are recommended for the general population. CD24 is a mucin-like cell surface molecule and P-selectin ligand, which plays a significant role in the maturation of B-lymphocytes and was found to be overexpressed in a number of hematological malignancies. Our primary aim was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the CD24/CD11b-based blood test for the detection of hematological malignancies. Our cohort included 488 subjects with positive hematological cancer diagnosis (n = 122) and healthy subjects (n = 366). CD24/CD11b expression in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) obtained from blood samples of participants was analyzed by flow cytometry. Our results demonstrated that the average levels of CD24/CD11b in healthy patients (21.7 ± 9.0) were statistically significantly lower compared to levels of CD24/CD11b in cancer patients (29.5 ± 18.7, p < 0.001). The highest levels of CD24/CD11b were found in multiple myeloma (39.1 ± 23.6), followed by chronic myeloid leukemia (33.0 ± 13.7) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (32.3 ± 13.3). The test had an overall sensitivity for hematologic cancers of 78.5% (95% CI, 70.7–86.3%) and specificity of 80.2% (95% CI, 76.1–84.3%). In conclusion, our findings indicate the feasibility of a CD24/CD11b-based blood test as a screening test of hematological malignancies.

CD24 Is a Potential Immunotherapeutic Target for Mantle Cell Lymphoma

“…The potential of CD24 mAb treatment and checkpoint targeting was previously preclinically investigated for pancreas, ovarian, and breast carcinoma [19]. Here, we focused on NHL where CD24 mRNA expression was similarly high in FL, BL, MCL, and DLBCL in line with previous studies [32,60]. However, CD24 expression only correlated with poor survival in FL and MCL.…”

“…CD24 is physiologically expressed on human B cells and has been employed as a phenotypic marker for early-stage immature B cells [31]. CD24 is also reportedly expressed in various cancers, including non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas (NHLs) in which CD24 levels were elevated compared to healthy subjects [32]. Thus, CD24 may be an immune checkpoint relevant for B-NHL.…”

Predictors of the CD24/CD11b Biomarker among Healthy Subjects

“…The percentage of positive cells was determined by subtracting the percentage of CD24 and CD11b-positive cells (dual stain) from CD24-positive cells (single stain). The percentage of positive cells was determined by subtracting the percentage of CD24 and CD11b-positive cells (dual stain) from CD24-positive cells (single stain), as has been published previously [ 5 ].…”

“…With the advance of new technologies, many new biomarkers have been developed and are presently undergoing evaluation for the early diagnosis of cancer. In recent years, the CD24 gene has raised considerable interest in tumor biology as a new prognostic factor and as a biomarker for the early detection of cancer [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ].…”

“…We have previously reported that evaluating CD24 levels in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) can serve as a potential promising screening tool for the early detection of colorectal neoplasia and hematological cancers [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. There is currently a lack of studies that assess predictors of CD24 testing among healthy individuals.…”