CD₄₄ Expression On Leukemia Cells In Acute Leukemia

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of CD₄₄leukemiacells in31patients with acute leukemia, and the results were analyzed with clinicalpathological data.Methods Flow cytometry was used to detect CD₄₄molecule on the bone marrowmononuclear cell surface of31newly diagnosed acute leukemia patients, and10healthyadults were served as normal controls.Results The21patients’ average rate of CD₄₄expression was （97.88±4.65）%and meanfluorescence intensity was （429.28±401.00）in AML stem cells （CD＋45+CD34CD38-）. The7patients’ average rate of CD₄₄expression was （93.35±4.62）%，and mean fluorescenceintensity was（225.52±198.92）in B-ALL stem cell. The3patients’ average rate of CD₄₄expression was （91.84±12.15）%, and mean fluorescence intensity was （126.71±90.13）in T-ALL stem cell. The10healthy controls of individuals’ average rate of CD₄₄expression was （79.02±12.06）%, and mean fluorescence intensity was （82.36±33.09）in HSCs. The average rate of CD₄₄expression and mean fluorescence intensity in thegroups of AML and B-ALL, which were much higher than those of healthy controlsrespectively.（P<0.05）. However, the average rate of CD₄₄expression and meanfluorescence intensity in the groups of T-ALL, which was no obvious difference comparedwith healthy controls.（P>0.05）. The average rate of CD₄₄expression in the group of AMLwas higher than B-ALL-group’s but no difference on mean fluorescence intensity. Theaverage rate of CD₄₄expression and mean fluorescence intensity in the groups of AMLand B-ALL, which compared with the group of T-ALL had no difference.（P>0.05）. CD₄₄mean fluorescence intensity had no obvious correlation with, such as the percentage of myeloid progenitor cell, numeration of leukocyte, hemoglobin and platelet count whichbetween patients with acute leukemia and healthy controls. The mean fluorescenceintensity was much difference between the patients with AML of fusion gene AML1/ETOpositive and of fusion gene AML1/ETO negative（P<0.05）,the average rate of CD₄₄expression and percentage of myeloid progenitor cell had no difference（P<0.05）.Conclusion expression of CD₄₄is in healthy individuals’ HSCs, but CD₄₄expression indifferent type of patients with leukemia is obvious higher than normal controls. The highexpression of CD₄₄on bone marrow LSCs may be associated with cancer cell ofdifferentiation, proliferation, and metastasis. The expression of CD₄₄in LSCs of patientswith AL can be a nice prognostic indicator in and after treatment response assessment. Themolecule of CD₄₄may be becoming a promising targeted spot which is special to targetingto LSCs with AL.