Expression of CD28 and CD137 in peripheral blood T cells in acute leukemia

    MA Xiaoª²Rong, ZHANG Wangª²Gang, YANG Huiª²Yun, TIAN Wei

    Department of Hematology, Second Hospital, Xi¡¯an Jiaotong University, Xi¡¯an 710004, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the expression characteristics of costimulatory molecules CD28 and CD137 (4ª²1BB) in peripheral blood T cells in human leukemia before and after the chemotherapy and to explore their significance in antileukemia immunity. METHODS: The expression of costimulatory molecules CD28 and CD137 in T cells was measured in 38 patients with acute leukemia (AL) before and after chemotherapy by immunofluorescence and FACS. The peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were also analyzed. RESULTS: ¢Ù The level of CD28, CD3, CD4 and CD4/CD8 in AL patients before chemotherapy was lower but CD137 was higher than those in control markedly (P<0.05). ¢Ú The level of CD28, CD3, CD4 and CD4/CD8 increased in complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) patients after chemotherapy but CD137 decreased distinctly compared with that before chemotherapy (P<0.05). The level in CR patients was close to that in the control. No significant change was found in nonª²remission (NR) patients (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: CD28 and CD137 are important costimulatory molecules during the pathogenesis of AL and antileukemia immunity. Their abnormal level may partly be responsible for AL and be closely related with the clinical curative effects. It may be an important means to treat human leukemia immunogenetically by regulating the expression of CD28 and CD137 in T cells and by correcting the immunodeficiency of AL patients. ......