Objective: To explore the expression of CD200 in the bone marrow of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients and its correlations with clinical features, phenotype, chromosome type and prognosis.
Methods: 40 patients with CLL were tested before chemotherapy. The CD200 in the bone marrow samples were detected by the flow cytometry. The expression of CD19(+);CD200(+); was less than 50% in 18 patients, which were assigned into CD200(low) ;group, and the expression was more than or equal to 50% in 22 patients, which were in CD200(high); group.
Results: Compared with the CD200(high); group, the CD200(low) ;group had lower mean age, fewer men, lower initial WBC count, lower initial lymphocyte count, lower initial percentage of lymphocyte, lower lymph node incidence and higher initial hemoglobin(P<0.05). The average percentage of CD19(+);, CD19(+);CD23(+);, CD19(+);CD160(+); and the positive rate of Zeta chain-associated protein 70 (ZAP-70) in the CD200(low) ;group were significantly lower than those in the CD200(high); group (P<0.05). In Binet stage classification, the patients of the CD200(low) ;group were mostly in phase A, and the ones of the CD200(high); group were mostly in phase C (P<0.05). In Rai stage classification, the patients of the CD200(low) ;group were mostly in phase I, and the ones of the CD200(high); group were mostly in phase III stage (P<0.05).
Conclusion: CD200 might be very important for the diagnosis, prognosis, individualized treatment and the longer survival time of CLL patients.