Expression of Surface-associated 82 kDa proMMP-9 in Lymphatic Leukemia Blast Cells Differentially Correlates With Prognosis

Anticancer Res. 2021 Aug;41(8):3891-3898. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.15184.

Abstract

Background/aim: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) degrade extracellular matrix and process regulatory proteins. Recently, a membrane-bound 82kDa variant of proMMP-9 identified on myeloid blasts was shown to be associated with prognosis.

Patients and methods: To investigate the role of 82kDa proMMP-9 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL), we performed flow-cytometry analysis of expression on ALL blasts (n=18) and CLL lymphocytes (n=21) from blood and correlated data with clinical parameters.

Results: In ALL, mature B-linear blasts expressed higher levels of 82kDa proMMP-9 compared to T-linear blasts. Elevated levels of 82kDa proMMP-9 were found in elderly patients and at patients with relapse. No correlation was observed on blood cells and extramedullary disease. In CLL, the 82kDa proMMP-9 expression did not correlate with any of the clinical parameters.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that higher levels of 82kDa proMMP-9 expression on blast cells may correlate with a more unfavorable ALL-subtype. Further studies are required to clarify the prognostic role of the 82kDa pro-MMP-9 expression.

Keywords: ALL; CLL; MMP-9; leukemia; prognosis.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Enzyme Precursors / immunology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / immunology*
  • Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Male
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / immunology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / immunology*
  • Prognosis
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Enzyme Precursors
  • pro-matrix metalloproteinase 9
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9