Reduced CD43 expression on the neutrophils of MDS patients correlates with an activated phenotype of these cells.

CD43 (also known as leukosialin and sialophorin) is a surface sialoglycoprotein expressed at high levels on most leukocytes implicated in adhesion, antiadhesion, and activation/proliferation mechanisms. We studied the expression of this molecule on the leukocytes of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) in an effort to detect acquired deficiencies of this molecule. We used immunofluorescence flow cytometry in analyzing whole blood and isolated neutrophils from 49 MDS patients, 33 men and 16 women aged 33 to 85 years (median, 75 years), and 18 healthy individuals aged 35 to 80 years (median, 72 years).

Aberrant expression of the major sialoglycoprotein (CD43) on the monocytes of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

CD43, a sialylated glycoprotein expressed on the surface of most hematopoietic cells, has been implicated in cell adhesion and signaling. The reduced expression of this antigen in patients with Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome, in which progressive immunodeficiency is a major problem, raised the question whether abnormal expression of this molecule could affect the susceptibility to infections in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We studied the expression of this antigen on the monocytes of ten patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) and compared the results with 67 patients suffering from other MDS syndromes and with 18 healthy individuals.

Elevated serum TNF-alpha concentrations are predictive of shortened survival in patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

The levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-alpha were measured immunoradiometrically in the sera of 82 myelodysplastic (MDS) patients at diagnosis in an attempt to identify possible relationships between serum cytokine levels and clinical and laboratory parameters of the patients. We found that serum IL-6 and TNF-alpha concentrations were significantly higher in the group of MDS patients than in the normal controls (p < 0.03 and p < 0.

Serum beta 2 microglobulin in malignant lymphoproliferative disorders.

Serum beta-2-microglobulin (S-beta 2M) was measured at diagnosis in 44 patients with lymphocytic leukemias and 47 with malignant lymphomas. Among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) S-beta 2M was raised (greater than 3 mg/l) in 74% and in 23.5% of those with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).