CD26: A Prognostic Marker of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children in the Post Remission Induction Phase

Background: ALL is an irredeemable disease due to the resistance to treatment. There are several influenceswhich are involved in such resistance to chemotherapy, including oxidative stress as a result of the generation ofreactive oxygen species (ROS) and presence of hypodiploid cells. Cluster of differentiation 26 (CD26), also knownas dipeptidyl peptidase-4, is a 110 kDa, multifunctional, membrane-bound glycoprotein. Aim and objectives: Theaim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of serum CD26 in patients with acute lymphoblasticleukaemia patients in the post remission induction phase, as well as the relationship between CD26 activity andthe oxidative stress status. Materials and
Methods: CD26, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status(TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI), in addition to activity of related enzymes myeloperoxidase, glutathiones-transferase and xanthine oxidase, were analysed in sixty children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia inthe post remission induction phase.
Results: The study showed significant elevation in CD26, TOS and OSIlevels in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in the post remission induction phase in comparison tohealthy control samples. In contrast, myeloperoxidase, glutathione-s-transferase and xanthine oxidase activitieswere decreased significantly. A significant correlation between CD26 concentration and some oxidative stressparameters was evident in ALL patients.
Conclusions: Serum levels of CD26 appear to be useful as a newbiomarker of oxidative stress in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in the post remission inductionphase, and levels of antioxidants must be regularly estimated during the treatment of children with ALL.