Serum soluble CD44 in pediatric patients with acute leukemia.

Abstract

CD44 is an adhesion molecule expressed on a variety of cells, and its level correlates with the metastatic potential of malignant tumors. Serum concentrations of soluble CD44 (sCD44) are elevated in various cancers. The purpose of this study was to measure the serum concentrations of CD44 in pediatric patients with acute leukemia. Fourteen pediatric patients with acute leukemia were studied. The authors measured the serum concentration of sCD44 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before and after therapy. The concentrations were compared with those of 15 control healthy children and 10 patients with bacterial infections. The mean serum concentration of sCD44 at presentation was significantly higher in patients than in control subjects, but decreased to a normal range in complete remission after chemotherapy. There was no difference in sCD44 concentrations between patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia and those with acute myeloid leukemia. Serum concentrations of sCD44 did not correlate with lactic dehydrogenase concentrations or bone marrow nucleated cell counts and only weakly with peripheral leukocyte count. sCD44 levels in patients with bacterial infections were similar to those of control subjects. Serum concentration of sCD44 may reflect disease status in pediatric patients with acute leukemia and might be a useful tumor marker in these patients.