Blood CD34-c-Kit+ cell rate correlates with aggressive forms of systemic mastocytosis and behaves like a mast cell precursor

Blood. 2011 Nov 10;118(19):5246-9. doi: 10.1182/blood-2011-02-335950. Epub 2011 Aug 30.

Abstract

Mastocytosis is a heterogeneous disease characterized by the accumulation of mast cells in one or more organs. Our objective was to identify a peripheral mast cell precursor and assess its variation rate in mastocytosis. A peripheral blood phenotypic analysis was performed among 50 patients with mastocytosis who were enrolled in a prospective multicentric French study, and the phenotypic analysis results of the patients were compared with those of healthy donors. The rate of peripheral blood CD34(-)c-Kit(+) cells correlated with the severity of mastocytosis. This cellular population was isolated from healthy donors as well as from patients with systemic mastocytosis. After 30 days of culture, the CD34(-)c-Kit(+) cells gave birth to mature mast cells, indicating that this cellular population constitutes a mast cell circulating precursor. Monitoring peripheral CD34(-)c-Kit(+) cells by flow cytometry could be a useful and low-invasive tool to determine the disease severity and the relapses and to assess treatment efficiency.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antigens, CD34 / blood*
  • Blood Cells / metabolism*
  • Blood Cells / pathology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mast Cells / metabolism
  • Mast Cells / pathology
  • Mastocytosis, Systemic / blood*
  • Mastocytosis, Systemic / genetics
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation
  • Prospective Studies
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / blood*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / genetics
  • Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Stem Cells / pathology

Substances

  • Antigens, CD34
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit