IL-2/CD25 axis mediates cellular networks promoting the growth of CD25 acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Although the expression of interleukin-2 receptor α-chain (IL-2Rα, CD25) has been provided prognostic significance independent of known biomarkers in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the functional role of CD25 molecule remains unknown. Since IL-2 can be trans-presented via CD25 to another cell, CD25AML cells may deliver environmental IL-2 to surrounding immune cells to produce myeloid growth factors for their proliferation. We hypothesize that cellular interactions via IL-2/CD25 axis in the bone marrow microenvironment contributes to the growth advantage of these AML cells and affects the clinical outcome of those AML patients.

Clinical utility of oral management in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients: microbiological evidence based on molecular analysis of oral bacteria.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the clinical utility of oral management to prevent bloodstream infections by oral bacteria microbiologically in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

Methods: Ten consecutive patients with hematological malignancies undergoing ASCT were enrolled in this study. We implemented dental treatments before transplantation, if required, and carried out oral hygiene instructions and oral management every other day after transplantation.

Expression of CD25 fluctuates in the leukemia-initiating cell population of CD25-positive AML.

CD25 is expressed on leukemic cells in 10-20% cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and its expression is associated with poor prognosis. We reevaluated the relationship between CD25 expression and the leukemia-initiating cell (LIC) properties of AML using a patient-derived xenograft model. We divided lineage marker-negative (Lin-) CD34+CD38- or Lin-CD34+ cells from CD25-positive AML into CD25-positive and -negative populations, and then transplanted each population into NOD.

IL-2/IL-3 interplay mediates growth of CD25 positive acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Cell surface interleukin-2 receptor α-chain (IL-2Rα, CD25) expression is currently recognized to be a strong predictor for poor prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, it is still unknown that the reason why CD25 positive AML patients have a dismal clinical outcome. CD25 positive AML cells are generally unresponsive to IL-2, but strongly respond to IL-3.

Management of Pulmonary Mucormycosis Based on a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Diagnosis in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies: A Report of Four Cases.

Pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) is a life-threatening fungal infection in patients with hematologic malignancies, and early and accurate diagnostic modalities are urgently needed. We conducted a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting these fungi in peripheral blood from four patients with hematologic malignancies who were strongly suspected of having PM. In these four patients, the Rhizopus species was identified in two patients, and the Cunninghamella and Absidia species in one each.

Bacteremia due to Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides in a Patient with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Leuconostoc species are vancomycin-resistant Gram-positive cocci. Infections due to Leuconostoc species have been reported in various immunocompromised patients, but little is known about such infection in patients with hematologic malignancies. We report a case of Leuconostoc infection in a 44-year-old woman with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Prognostic Relevance of Cytokine Receptor Expression in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Interleukin-2 Receptor α-Chain (CD25) Expression Predicts a Poor Prognosis.

A variety of cytokine/cytokine receptor systems affect the biological behavior of acute leukemia cells. However, little is known about the clinical relevance of cytokine receptor expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We quantitatively examined the expression of interleukin-2 receptor α-chain (IL-2Rα, also known as CD25), IL-2Rβ, IL-3Rα, IL-4Rα, IL-5Rα, IL-6Rα, IL-7Rα, the common β-chain (βc), γc, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)Rα, G-CSFR, c-fms, c-mpl, c-kit, FLT3, and GP130 in leukemia cells from 767 adult patients with AML by flow cytometry and determined their prevalence and clinical significance.

Breakthrough disseminated zygomycosis induced massive gastrointestinal bleeding in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia receiving micafungin.

A 69-year-old man, who had been receiving prednisolone for 11 months for treatment of interstitial pneumonia, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. During induction therapy, he developed severe pneumonia. Although meropenem and micafungin were started, he died of circulatory failure owing to massive gastrointestinal bleeding.

Limited expression of cancer-testis antigens in renal cell carcinoma patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of expression of the cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) NY-ESO-1, MAGE-A4 and SAGE, in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients compared to that in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, which represent a positive control with a high incidence of CTA expression, to identify novel target antigens for immunotherapy. We prospectively examined frozen tissue samples collected from surgery or biopsy from 35 RCC and 40 HNC patients. Total RNA was extracted, and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT)-PCR was performed to determine the expression of MAGE-A4, NY-ESO-1 and SAGE.

Lung adenocarcinoma in a patient with plasmacytoma.

An increased risk of second malignancy is well recognized in patients treated for plasma cell neoplasms. However, second solid tumor is very rare in such patients. We report a case of a 68-year-old woman with plasmacytoma who developed lung adenocarcinoma.

Oxaliplatin-induced acute thrombocytopenia: a case report and review of the literature.

We herein report the case of a 77-year-old woman who developed acute thrombocytopenia during the 23rd cycle of modified FOLFOX therapy. She developed a hypersensitivity reaction with nasal bleeding. The chemotherapy infusion was immediately discontinued.

Clinical utility of a panfungal polymerase chain reaction assay for invasive fungal diseases in patients with haematologic disorders.

Objectives: Invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) are life-threatening events in patients with haematologic disorders, and the spectrum of the aetiological pathogens continues to expand. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of a panfungal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the management of IFDs in such patients.

Methods: We prospectively analysed 273 consecutive blood samples from 64 risk episodes in 51 patients with haematologic disorders at high risk for IFD who were treated at our hospital between April 2007 and October 2010.

High serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in acute myeloid leukemia: correlation with poor prognosis and CD4 expression on blast cells.

Backgorund: Although increased serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and their clinical importance are well known in mature type lymphoproliferative disorders (LD), little data is available about such information in acute type hematological malignancies.

Methods: We examined the serum levels of sIL-2R in 57 adult patients with acute type leukemias: 32 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 14 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 11 chronic myelocytic leukemia in blast crisis (CMLBC), and in 29 adult patients with mature type LD, and assessed their cellular and clinical relevance in acute type leukemias.

Results: No significant differences were seen in the sIL-2R levels between acute type leukemias and mature type LD.

Pulmonary infection caused by Exophiala dermatitidis in a patient with multiple myeloma: A case report and a review of the literature.

Exophiala dermatitidis is a dematiaceous fungus that is increasingly being identified as a cause of fungal infection especially in patients with immunodeficiency. To date, however, the factors predisposing E. dermatitidis and its optimal treatments have not been fully addressed.

Is elevation of the serum β-d-glucan level a paradoxical sign for trichosporon fungemia in patients with hematologic disorders?

The detection of serum 1,3-β-d-glucan (BDG) has been reported to be useful for the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of various invasive fungal infections. Although Trichosporon fungemia is increasingly recognized as a fatal mycosis in immunocompromised patients, the utility of this assay for Trichosporon fungemia is still unknown. In our experience (28 cases), the level of BDG rose in about half of the patients with hematologic disorders who developed Trichosporon fungemia.

[Aggressive NK-cell leukemia with sustained relapse-free survival after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation].

A 46-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital because of prolonged fever. Laboratory examination demonstrated leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, marked liver dysfunction, and elevation of serum ferritin. A bone marrow examination showed several hemophagocytic macrophages, and a diagnosis of hemophagocytic syndrome was made.

Diagnostic value of PCR analysis of bacteria and fungi from blood in empiric-therapy-resistant febrile neutropenia.

This study aimed to assess the clinical utility of PCR for the analysis of bacteria and fungi from blood for the management of febrile neutropenic patients with hematologic malignancies. Using a PCR system able to detect a broad range of bacteria and fungi, we conducted a prospective pilot study of periodic analyses of blood from patients following intensive chemotherapy. When fever occurred, it was treated with empirical antibiotic therapy, basically without knowledge of the PCR results.

Fatal Trichosporon fungemia in patients with hematologic malignancies.

Objective: Invasive Trichosporon infection has been increasingly recognized in patients with hematologic malignancies. Our study aims to clarify the clinical characteristics of this disease and factors influencing patient prognosis.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 33 cases of Trichosporon fungemia (TF) in patients with hematologic malignancies treated at our collaborating five hospitals in Japan between 1992 and 2007.

Breakthrough disseminated zygomycosis induced massive gastrointestinal bleeding in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia receiving micafungin.

A 69-year-old man, who had been receiving prednisolone for 11 months for treatment of interstitial pneumonia, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. During induction therapy, he developed severe pneumonia. Although meropenem and micafungin were started, he died of circulatory failure owing to massive gastrointestinal bleeding.

[Long-term remission of a nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma patient with massive involvement of the orbita and liver dysfunction].

A 49-year-old woman with high fever and diffuse swelling of the right cheek was referred to our hospital. Computed tomography showed right orbital tumor with massive involvement. Histopathologic examination of the biopsied right orbital tumor demonstrated extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal-type.

Breakthrough cryptococcosis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) receiving micafungin.

A 67-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was admitted to our hospital because of lupus nephritis. Methylprednisolone minipulse therapy dramatically reduced her proteinuria; however; she then complained of general fatigue with low-grade fever. Radiological and culture studies revealed no infectious focus, but she was treated with meropenem and micafungin, considering her immunosuppressive state.

Deletion of chromosome arm 15q in a case of minimally differentiated hypoplastic AML-M0.

Deletion of the long arm of chromosome 15 is known as a rare but recurrent chromosomal abnormality in myeloid malignancies. We report a novel case of minimally differentiated hypoplastic acute myeloid leukemia (AML M0) in a patient who initially had a normal karyotype, but clonal interstitial deletion of chromosome 15, del(15)(q11.2q22), coincided with increment of leukemic cells a year later.

Early tumor regression following severe lung injury after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in a patient with renal cell carcinoma.

We describe a 65-year-old man who had repeated lung injuries after reduced-intensity allogeneic stem cell transplantation (RIST) for renal cell carcinoma. Severe pneumonitis developed twice at the time of neutrophil recovery and acute graft-versus-host disease. Both episodes were successfully treated with steroid pulse therapy.