Prognostic impact of CD200 and CD56 expression in pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients
This study aimed to determine the prognostic impact of CD200 and
CD56 expression in pediatric B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BALL)
patients, both of which have been implicated in immune tolerance
and previously suggested as independent risk factors. CD200 has a
central role in immune tolerance that protects stem cells and other
critical tissues from immune damage. The expression of CD200/CD56 in
leukemic blasts were assessed in leukemic blasts before chemotherapy
in 43 bone marrow (BM) and/or peripheral blood (PB) samples by
flow cytometry. Twenty eight of 43 B-ALL cases (65%) showed CD200
positive expression, 5 of 43 cases (11.6%) showed CD56 expression, and
only 2 patients (4.7%) expressed both CD200 and CD56. Patients with
CD200+ and CD56+ were significantly associated with lower platelet
count; less tendency for induction of remission response as compared
to negative ones (p = .01 for both). The overall survival (OS) and DFS
were significantly shorter in CD200+ and CD56+ cases as compared
to those with CD200− and CD56− expression. In conclusion, CD200
and/or CD56 positive expression in B-ALL at diagnosis suggest a poor
prognosis and may be associated with biological aggressiveness.