Abstract
Controversial data have been reported on the prognostic value of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This prospective, single-center, observational study aimed to evaluate the role of CXCR4 in the pathophysiology of CLL and its prognostic role. A total of 158 patients of CLL were enrolled, and CXCR4 expression on CLL cells was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) at initial diagnosis. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the CXCR4 mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) median. Also, four patient specimens from the CXCR4low and CXCR4high groups were selected for RNASeq analysis. The progression-free survival (PFS) of CLL patients in the CXCR4high group was significantly shorter than the CXCR4low group, with a median follow-up time of 27 months (log-rank P < 0.001). Moreover, CXCR4 overexpression (MFI > 3376) was an independent marker of poor PFS in CLL patients (P < 0.001). Analysis of RNASeq results revealed that CXCR4 plays an important role in the migration of CLL. Collectively, CXCR4 expression levels on leukemia cells can be detected rapidly by FCM. CXCR4 overexpression was significantly associated with poorer prognosis in CLL patients within a shorter follow-up time.
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Data availability
The datasets generated during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. RNAseq data is deposited in NCBI’s Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and is accessible through GEO Series accession number: GSE254015.
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Acknowledgements
This study was kindly supported by the Science and Technology Project of Sichuan Province of China (Grant No. 2022YFS0213, 2023NSFSC1483, 2023NSFSC1484 and 2023YFS0187), the 1 3 5 project for disciplines of excellence-Clinical Research Fund, West China Hospital, Sichuan University (Grant No. 2023HXFH034).
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Xinran Xue and Hongyan Liao designed the study. Xinran Xue wrote the main manuscript text. Zhihao Wen, Xin Zhang, Ying Yang, Yifei Li and Qin Zheng performed immunophenotyping, acquired the data and analysed and/or interpreted the data. Xinran Xue, Ruoxi Liao, Qin Zheng, Yang Fu and Yu Liu revised the manuscript. Yu Liu, Qin Zheng, Yang Fu, and Hongyan Liao acquired the fundings. Hongyan Liao supervised the study and edited the original draft. All authors reviewed the manuscript.
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Xue, X., Wen, Z., Zhang, X. et al. CXCR4 overexpression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia associates with poorer prognosis: A prospective, single-center, observational study. Genes Immun 25, 117–123 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41435-024-00258-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41435-024-00258-7