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Zap‐70 and CD38 as predictors of IgVH mutation in CLL
Author(s) -
Cruse Julius M.,
Lewis Robert E.,
Sanders Catherine M.,
Suggs Jeanann L.,
Webb Rachel N.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a384-b
Subject(s) - cd38 , chronic lymphocytic leukemia , mutation , exon , point mutation , medicine , cancer research , oncology , leukemia , immunology , biology , gene , genetics , stem cell , cd34
Zeta‐chain (TCR) associated protein kinase 70kDa (Zap‐70) and CD38 expression may be of prognostic significance in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Previous studies indicate that Zap‐70 and CD38 are usually positive in cases of CLL with unmutated immunoglobulin variable region genes (IgVH) and may be used to predict IgVH mutation status and prognosis. Usually cases of CLL positive for Zap‐70 or CD38 indicate a worse prognosis. In the present investigation, 42 cases of CLL were evaluated for CD38 expression, and 13 cases were evaluated for Zap‐70 and CD38 expression. Of the 42 cases, 17 (40.5%) positively expressed CD38. Of the 13 cases evaluated for Zap‐70, 10 (76.9%) were positive for Zap‐70, while only 4 (30.8%) were positive for CD38 expression; the remaining cases were negative for CD38. The results of this study show that Zap‐70 expression may be a better indicator of the mutational status of IgVH and prognosis of CLL than CD38 expression. In addition, these data reveal that CD38 negativity does not necessarily indicate that IgVH mutation has occurred. CD38 signaling is mediated by a pathway requiring BCRs or TCRs, and Zap‐70 mediates T‐cell signaling; this relationship may account for variations in Zap‐70 and CD38 positivity. These data point to the need for a more extensive study to evaluate the significance of Zap‐70 and CD38 expression as indicators of IgVH mutation status and prognosis of CLL patients.