Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Correspondence
  • Published:

CD38 expression on B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemic cells is strongly correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor expression

Leukemia volume 18, pages 649–650 (2004)Cite this article

TO THE EDITOR

Increased CD38 expression on the surface of neoplastic lymphocytes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has recently been recognized as an important poor prognostic factor.1 Angiogenesis appears to play a central role in the pathophysiology of hematopoietic malignancies, including CLL.2 In early-stage CLL, increased bone marrow microvessel density correlated with reduced progression-free survival and bone marrow expression of the angiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),3 while the mean fluorescence intensity of expression of VEGF on CLL cells was higher in cases with progressive disease.4 In contrast, lower levels of intracellular VEGF in peripheral blood CLL cells were associated with shorter survival times in patients with early-stage disease.5 Elevated blood levels of VEGF, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) have been reported in CLL.6

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Damle RN, Wasil T, Fais F, Ghiotto F, Valetto A, Allen SL et al. Ig V gene mutation status and CD38 expression as novel prognostic indicators in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood 1999; 94: 1840–1847.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Molica S . Angiogenesis in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: methods of study, clinical significance and prognostic implications. Leuk Lymphoma 2001; 42: 603–607.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Molica S, Vacca A, Ribatti D, Cuneo A, Cavazzini F, Levato D et al. Prognostic value of enhanced bone marrow angiogenesis in early B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood 2002; 100: 3344–3351.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Molica S, Santoro R, Digiesi G, Dattilo A, Levato D, Muleo G . Vascular endothelial growth factor isoforms 121 and 165 are expressed on B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. Haematologica 2000; 85: 1106–1108.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Aguayo A, O'Brien S, Keating M, Manshouri T, Gidel C, Barlogie B et al. Clinical relevance of intracellular vascular endothelial growth factor levels in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood 2000; 96: 768–770.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Aguayo A, Kantarjian H, Manshouri T, Gidel C, Estey E, Thomas D et al. Angiogenesis in acute and chronic leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes. Blood 2000; 96: 2240–2245.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bellamy WT, Richter L, Frutiger Y, Grogan TM . Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors in hematopoietic malignancies. Cancer Res 1999; 59: 728–733.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bairey O, Zimra Y, Shaklai M, Rabizadeh E . Bcl-2 expression correlates positively with serum basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and negatively with cellular vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Br J Haematol 2001; 113: 400–406.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant from the Irish Cancer Society.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

    D McCabe, L Bacon, K O'Regan, J R O'Donnell & P T Murphy

  2. Department of Surgery, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

    C Condron

Authors
  1. D McCabe
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L Bacon
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K O'Regan
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C Condron
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J R O'Donnell
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. P T Murphy
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P T Murphy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

McCabe, D., Bacon, L., O'Regan, K. et al. CD38 expression on B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemic cells is strongly correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor expression. Leukemia 18, 649–650 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2403282

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2403282

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links