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A pathogenic role and prognostic value of cytokines in treatment of patients (pts) with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) are not finally established.

to define the concentration of cytokines such as TNFα, IL-6, sIL-2R, TGFβ1 in serum of HCL pts before and after treatment with IFNα or 2-CdA and to estimate the relationship with blood count indexes in HCL pts.

The study group consisted of 26 primary pts with the classic variant of HCL (median age - 47 years). A control group consisted of 12 healthy persons (median age - 50 years). The concentration of cytokines was measured using a validated commercial ELISA kits.

Median of TNFα content in serum of HCL pts before treatment was substantially lower (3.57 pg/ml) than in healthy persons (8.56 pg/ml; р=0.275), however treatment with IFNα or 2-CdA did not influence TNFα level. Median of TGFβ1 concentration in serum of HCL pts was also significantly lower, than in healthy persons (265.52 and 1568.22 pg/ml respectively; р=0.0004). Reliable increase of TGFβ1 concentration was observed only after 2-CdA therapy (928.33 pg/ml; р=0.281). Cross-correlation relationship was revealed between the TGFβ1 concentration and the level of haemoglobin (τ=0.23; р=0.1) as well as with leucocyte count in HCL pts (τ=0.24; р=0.09). Median of IL-6 content in serum of HCL pts before treatment was higher, than in healthy persons. Therapy with IFNα or 2-CdA reduced IL-6 level to the control values. Certain cross-correlation relationships were revealed between the IL-6 level and percentage of lymphocytes in bone marrow (τ=0.35; р=0.01) as well as amount of lymphocytes in peripheral blood of HCL pts (τ=0.24; р=0.09). Median serum concentration of sIL-2R (24.73 ng/ml) in HCL pts more than 20-fold exceeded such in control group (1.15 ng/ml; р=0.0000005). Cross-correlation relationship was revealed between the percentage of hairy cells in bone marrow and sIL-2R level in serum (τ=0.27; р=0.08). Obtained results may be an evidence of predominant secretion of sIL-2R by tumor cells in HCL pts.

New data regarding pathogenetic relationship between production of certain cytokines and features of hematopoiesis in HCL pts was obtained. Between the blood level of some cytokines in HCL pts and efficiency of 2-CdA treatment a reliable relationship was revealed, which is possible to use for prediction of clinical course of this disease. Moreover sIL-2R level in blood possibly can serve as a marker of tumour activity in classic type of HCL.