Increase of novel biomarkers for oxidative stress in patients with plasma cell disorders and in multiple myeloma patients with bone lesions.

Objectives: Protein oxidation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of oncological diseases. In this study, we analyzed the oxidative stress in untreated multiple myeloma (MM) patients and in patients affected by monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS).

Methods: We evaluated serum levels of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and protein nitrosylation in patients with monoclonal gammopathy and in control subjects.

Imatinib mesylate therapy induces reduction in neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin serum levels and increase in leptin concentrations in chronic myeloid leukemia patients in molecular remission.

The aim of the present study was to determine serum levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and leptin in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) at diagnosis and after imatinib therapy when patients achieved a complete molecular remission. The study was conducted on 22 patients with CML in the chronic phase and 10 healthy subjects. The median serum NGAL levels in CML patients at diagnosis were significantly higher compared to age-matched controls.

Increased serum levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in patients with essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera.

Neutrophil gelatinaase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a glycoprotein bound with matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in human neutrophils, and elevated tissue NGAL expression has been documented in different infectious and inflammatory conditions. Recent evidence suggests that NGAL expression is induced in many types of human cancer. Moreover, NGAL is required for BCR-ABL-induced tumorigenesis.

Cardiac involvement in patients with hematologic malignancies.

Authors have reviewed literature about the management of patients with cardiologic disease occurring secondary to hematologic pathology itself or its therapy, with a focus on infiltration of myocardium in acute and chronic leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and hypereosinophilic syndrome. Moreover, they evaluated chemotherapy-associated toxicity, particularly for new drugs such as monoclonal antibody therapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, arsenic trioxide, bortezomib, and epigenetic therapy. In fact, cardiac toxicity may range from asymptomatic subclinical abnormalities, such as electrocardiographic changes and left ventricular ejection decline, to life-threatening events and lead to chemotherapy dose reduction and delay and, in some cases, for patients with severe side effects, discontinuation of treatment.

Endothelial progenitor cells: pathogenetic role and therapeutic perspectives.

Bone marrow-derived, CD34+ progenitor cells have been shown to promote the repair of damaged tissues, offering promise for the treatment of hereditary and acquired human diseases. These cells in fact differentiate into endothelia, hematopoietic cells and possibly neurons, fibroblasts and muscle. CD34+ and AC133+ progenitor cells may participate in neovascularization by differentiating into endothelial cells.

Lymphocytes from patients with early stage of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and long survival synthesize decorin.

mRNA/cDNA gene expression of both small leucine-rich proteoglycans decorin and biglycan was evaluated by PCR real time in lymphocytes collected from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) at different stages of disease and from healthy controls. Lymphocytes obtained from healthy controls showed no or very low levels of mRNA expression of both decorin and biglycan. Biglycan expression was very low in CLL patients, values being close to those of controls.

Levels of soluble angiogenin in chronic myeloid malignancies: clinical implications.

Angiogenesis is critical for the clinical progression of haematopoietic malignancies and depends on angiogenic factors. Angiogenin is a powerful factor produced by neoplastic cells and host microenvironment. High levels of soluble angiogenin (sAng) correlate with a poor prognosis in patients affected by acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, but no data are available on sAng in chronic myeloproliferative disorders (CMD).

Differential levels of soluble endoglin (CD105) in myeloid malignancies.

Angiogenesis contributes to disease progression in solid and hematopoietic malignancies, and endoglin (CD105), a component of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta receptor complex, is a powerful marker of neovascularization. Elevated amounts of soluble CD105 (sCD105) have been recently identified in selected solid tumors but no data are available on sCD105 in hematopoietic malignancies. Therefore, levels of sCD105 were investigated in sera of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (n = 10) or chronic myeloproliferative disorders (CMD) (n = 28), and correlated with those of soluble TGF-beta(1) (sTGF-beta(1)).

[Lipid profile in hematologic neoplasms].

Background And Objective: Abnormal blood lipid profiles have been reported in human malignancies. So, it is likely an overall involvement of tumoral cell metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinico-biological implications of altered lipid profiles in oncohaematologic patients.