The prognostic role of CXCR3 expression by chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells

Abstract

Background and Objectives Chemokine receptors are involved in tumor progression and several of these receptors, including CXCR3, are expressed by chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) B cells. This study was aimed to examine a possible relationship between CXCR3 expression in CLL and the clinical evolution of the disease.Design and Methods Using flow activated cell sorting (FACS), we analyzed the level of expression of CXCR3 on blood CLL B cells from 76 consecutive patients. The results were correlated with CD38 expression, IgVH gene status and clinical outcome.Results CXCR3, measured as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), was unimodally expressed by blood tumor cells at various levels (range, 3.5 to 232.3) but levels within individual patients were remarkably stable over time. Low CXCR3 expression by CLL B cells was strongly associated with Rai disease stages III and IV (p