Correlation between CD200 Expression on leukemic stem cells and Response to Treatment in De-novo Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients

Abstract

: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy with diverse genomic aberrations, treatment approaches and outcomes. Successful treatment for AML remains challenging. Inhibiting immune checkpoint to enhance anti-tumour response is an attractive strategy for effective leukemia therapeutics. CD200 is the ligand for CD200 receptor (CD200R), expressed on myeloid and lymphoid cells and is considered an important immunological checkpoint, which subsequently inhibits anti-tumour immune responses. Aim of work: To study the relation between CD200 and the response outcome to induction therapy in adult AML Egyptian patients. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 68 newly diagnosed adult AML patients at the department of internal medicine, clinical hematology & bone marrow transplantation unit and flow cytometry laboratory, clinical pathology department, Ain Shams university. Results: Median of CD200 expression was7.8 (1.3–45) for the responder group compared to 87.7 (77–88.6) for the non-responder group, there was statistically significant higher value of CD200 percentage in non-responder group compared to responder group with p-value (p<0.001). Meanwhile, there was a statistically significant difference between responder group and non-responder group according to CD200 level with p-value (p<0.001). The higher positive CD200 was found in non-responder group 31 patients (100%) compared to responder group 18 patients (48.6%). Conclusion: CD200 expression in myeloid blast in AML patients could play a role in the development of AML. Analysis of this marker could serve as prognostic marker and might guide the therapy in AML patients in the future.