Our results regarding the adverse prognostic significance of high expression of Ang-2 by CLL cells are substantially in keeping with Hu¨ttmann et al. Importantly, in our series, CLL patients expressing at diagnosis high levels of Ang-2 usually had more advanced clinical stage and a higher percentage of CD38þ cells, had unmutated immunoglobulin status and unfavorable cytogenetics and had a shorter progression-free survival. These associations support the idea of the involvement of Ang-2 in the mechanisms of CLL disease progression. In addition, both circulating and BM-infiltrating Ig-unmutated CLL B-cells are able to express higher levels of Ang-2 than Ig-mutated CLL and normal B cells, suggesting the presence of an intrinsic defect in Ang-2 expression that could be pathogenetically relevant in CLL marrow microenvironment and could be involved in the differential clinical behavior of Ig-mutated and Ig-unmutated CLL cases.
Angiopoietin-2 expression in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: association with clinical outcome and immunoglobulin heavy-chain mutational status / Maffei R.; Marasca R.; Martinelli S.; Castelli I.; Santachiara R.; Morandi E.; Zucchini P.; Fontana M.; Giacobbi F.; Silingardi P.; Bonacorsi G.; Temperani P.; Masini L.; Colacci A.; Serra R.; Torelli G.. - In: LEUKEMIA. - ISSN 0887-6924. - STAMPA. - 21:(2007), pp. 1312-1315. [10.1038/sj.leu.2404650]
Angiopoietin-2 expression in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: association with clinical outcome and immunoglobulin heavy-chain mutational status
MORANDI, ELENA;SILINGARDI, PAOLA;COLACCI, ANNAMARIA;
2007
Abstract
Our results regarding the adverse prognostic significance of high expression of Ang-2 by CLL cells are substantially in keeping with Hu¨ttmann et al. Importantly, in our series, CLL patients expressing at diagnosis high levels of Ang-2 usually had more advanced clinical stage and a higher percentage of CD38þ cells, had unmutated immunoglobulin status and unfavorable cytogenetics and had a shorter progression-free survival. These associations support the idea of the involvement of Ang-2 in the mechanisms of CLL disease progression. In addition, both circulating and BM-infiltrating Ig-unmutated CLL B-cells are able to express higher levels of Ang-2 than Ig-mutated CLL and normal B cells, suggesting the presence of an intrinsic defect in Ang-2 expression that could be pathogenetically relevant in CLL marrow microenvironment and could be involved in the differential clinical behavior of Ig-mutated and Ig-unmutated CLL cases.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.