Cytogenetic Remissions Induced by Interferon α and Imatinib Mesylate are Immunologically Distinct in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

• Published in: International journal of hematology Vol. 86; no. 3; pp. 208 - 211
• Main Authors: Nakayama, Shin, Nagamura-Inoue, Tokiko, Yokoyama, Kazuaki, Ohno, Nobuhiro, Ooi, Jun, Takahashi, Satoshi, Uchimaru, Kaoru, Iseki, Toru, Tojo, Arinobu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer 01.10.2007
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Benzamides; Biological and medical sciences; CD4-CD8 Ratio; CML; Cytogenetic remission; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hematopoiesis - drug effects; Hematopoiesis - immunology; Humans; Imatinib Mesylate; Immunoglobulin A - blood; Immunoglobulin A - immunology; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Immunologic Factors - administration & dosage; Interferon α; Interferon-alpha - administration & dosage; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - blood; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - drug therapy; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive - immunology; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Monocytes - immunology; Piperazines - administration & dosage; Pyrimidines - administration & dosage; Recovery of Function - drug effects; Recovery of Function - immunology; Remission Induction; Antineoplastic agent; Imatinib; CML; Hematology; Enzyme; Alpha interferon; Transferases; Imatinib mesylate; Enzyme inhibitor; Chronic myelogenous leukemia; Malignant hemopathy; Interferon α; Myeloproliferative syndrome; Cytogenetic remission; Cytogenetics; Remission; Protein-tyrosine kinase
• ISSN: 0925-5710; 1865-3774
• DOI: 10.1007/BF03006921

We compared immunologic parameters of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients in cytogenetic remission receiving imatinib mesylate (STI) treatment, CML patients receiving interferon alpha (IFN-alpha), and healthy volunteers. Each group comprised 14 subjects. Median treatment dosages and durations were 6 x 10(6) IU/week and 174 months, respectively, for IFN-alpha and 400 mg/day and 54 months for STI. The numbers of T-cells were significantly lower in the 2 patient groups (P = .0006), whereas the 3 groups were comparable with respect to the numbers of natural killer cells. Not only the absolute numbers of monocytes and B-cells but also serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA titers were significantly lower in the STI group than in the IFN-alpha group (P < .0001). For T-cell subsets, the ratio of CD4 T-cells to CD8 T-cells was significantly lower in the IFN-alpha group than in the STI group, but the proportion of CD26(high)CD4+ T-cells among CD4+ cells was significantly higher. Collectively, the 2 therapeutic agents induce a distinct immunologic status in CML patients whose hematopoiesis has returned to normal levels.