TNF superfamily proteins in the serum of patients with B-ALL--preliminary study

TNF superfamily ligands such as B cell-activating factor (BAFF), a proliferation inducing ligand (APRIL) and TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL), can play an important role in the pathogenesis and development of various B cell malignancies involving B-ALL.

The study group consisted of 25 children suffering from newly diagnosed B cell precursor ALL (B- ALL), involving immunophenotype pre-B and common-cALL. Peripheral blood samples were collected at the time of diagnosis, before any treatment, and after treatment. Soluble APRIL, soluble BAFF, and soluble TRAIL concentrations were assessed using ELISA kits.

The concentrations of sAPRIL and sBAFF in the sera of the patient group were higher compared to the values of the control specimens. Among all molecules examined, the highest concentrations were found for the sAPRIL molecule. Furthermore, sAPRIL and sBAFF concentrations were higher in patients with ALL-pre B than in patients with cALL. After the treatment, the sera of patients with ALL-pre B contained lower concentrations of sAPRIL, sBAFF, and sTRAIL than those of the same patients before therapy.

Contrary to earlier indications of the key function of BAFF in B-ALL, the quantitative dominance of APRIL in the serum suggests that this molecule can play an equivalent or even more significant role in this patient group than BAFF.