Blood specimens from patients, suffering from chronic myelogenous leukemia, were investigated for the level of
soluble forms of differentiation antigens that belong to different functional groups of proteins. It is shown that
concentration of oligomeric forms of soluble CD38 and CD95 antigens is increased in the blood of primary patients .
Successful application of BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor (gleevek), resulted in the disappearance of tumoral
cells in blood according to cytogenetic analysis, was accompanied by normalization of serum level of oligomeric
soluble CD95, but the level of CD38 antigen was not normalized. Resistance to gleevek was characterized by
increased concentration of CD25, CD50, CD54, CD95 and oligomeric CD 38 antigen. Partial cytogenetic response
led to a statistically authentic increase of serum level of soluble CD54 and CD95 antigens. Changes in the
concentration of the tested blood proteins were more expressed in the patients receiving gleevek than in the general
group that included patients who received gleevek monotherapy and those pre-treated by interferon. The role of the
revealed changes in pathogenesis of chronic myelogenous leukemia and in response mechanisms to gleevek is
discussed.
|
