Assessment of the serum level of soluble CD 155 (sCD 155) as a prognostic factor in High grade Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma patients

Abstract

igh grade Lymphomas are a group of heterogeneous malignant neoplasms of lymphoid tissues derived from clonal expansion of B cells, Natural Killer cells or T cells. This category includes a wide range of subtypes, each with distinct morphological, immunophenotypic, molecular and genetic features. However, they all share a common pattern regarding their rate of growth and proliferative potential. CD 155 is an onco-immunogenic molecule that is overexpressed on the surface of malignant cells and barely expressed on normal cells. CD 155 is involved in malignant cell proliferation by several mechanisms, including the increased release of VEGF, increased migratory potential of malignant cells and increased proliferation of malignant cells via Cyclin D up-regulation. Higher levels of sCD 155 in the sera of cancer patients were shown to be directly related to poorer prognosis. This relation is less clear in high grade Non Hodgkin Lymphomas. There is need for new means that serve as prognostic factors that will help improving the treatment decision in each case. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of high levels of sCD 155 in patients with high grade Non Hodgkin Lymphoma as regards remission rates.