Assessment of the pathway of apoptosis involving PAR-4, DAXX and ZIPK proteins in CLL patients and its relationship with the principal prognostic factors.

Par-4 (prostate apoptosis response-4) protein was originally found upregulated in prostate tumor cells undergoing apoptosis. Then it was further identified as a proapoptotic protein upregulated both in normal and leukemic lymphocytes. The aim of our study was to assess PAR-4 protein expression in the B cells of CLL patients and to examine its relationship with the expression of other proteins involved in the apoptosis process, such as DAXX, ZIPK and BCL-2.

Natural killer-like T CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: intracellular cytokine expression and relationship with clinical outcome.

The clinical significance of NK-like T CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is still a subject of controversy. There are few previous descriptions that this cell population can be qualitatively or quantitatively deficient in CLL patients. In the present study we investigated the clinical value of CD3+/CD16+ CD56+ cells as predictors of disease progression.

BAFF and APRIL expression in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: correlation with biological and clinical features.

B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) are involved in normal B cell survival and differentiation. We analyzed BAFF and APRIL plasma levels in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). We also tested intracellular BAFF and APRIL expression in B-CLL and evaluated their prognostic relevance.

ZAP-70 and CD38 expression are independent prognostic factors in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and combined analysis improves their predictive value.

Recently identified biological risk factors in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) include ZAP-70 and CD38 expression. The present study was conducted to clarify whether a combined analysis could improve predictive impact of these two parameters. We examined the expression of ZAP-70 and CD38 by flow cytometry method in 217 newly diagnosed, consecutive, unselected and well characterized B-CLL patients in relation to laboratory parameters and clinical outcome.

Apoptosis in B-CLL: the relationship between higher ex vivo spontaneous apoptosis before treatment in III-IV Rai stage patients and poor outcome.

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) has been described as the progressive accumulation of mature-appearing B cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow, resulting from failed apoptosis rather than from alterations in cell cycle regulation. Recent investigations suggest that high WBC and lymphocyte counts result not only from defects in apoptosis, but also from cell proliferation. In this study, we aimed to examine the process of apoptosis in B-CLL patients before and during anti-cancer therapy, to answer the question of whether this parameter would presage the response to treatment and the clinical course of the disease.