Immunophenotype Predicts Survival Time in Dogs with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a hematologic disorder in dogs, but studies on prognostic factors and clinical outcome are lacking. In people, several prognostic factors have been identified and currently are used to manage patients and determine therapy.Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine if the immunophenotype of neoplastic cells predicts survival in canine CLL.Design: Retrospective study. Animals: Forty-three dogs with CLL.Procedures: Records of dogs with a final diagnosis of CLL were reviewed. For each included dog, a CBC, blood smear for microscopic reevaluation, and immunophenotyping data had to be available. Data on signalment, history, clinical findings, therapy, follow-up, as well as date and cause of death were retrieved.Results: Seventeen dogs had B-CLL (CD211), 19 had T-CLL (CD31 CD81), and 7 had atypical CLL (3 CD3À CD81, 2 CD31 CD4À CD8À, 1 CD31 CD41 CD81, and 1 CD31 CD211). Among the variables considered, only immunophenotype was associated with survival. Dogs with T-CLL had approximately 3-fold and 19-fold higher probability of surviving than dogs with B-CLL and atypical CLL, respectively. Old dogs with B-CLL survived significantly longer than did young dogs, and anemic dogs with T-CLL survived a significantly shorter time than dogs without anemia.Conclusions: Although preliminary, results suggested that immunophenotype is useful to predict survival in dogs with CLL. Young age and anemia are associated with shorter survival in dogs with B-CLL and T-CLL, respectively.

CD44 in canine leukemia: Analysis of mRNA and protein expression in peripheral blood

“…A CD44 mediated anti-apoptotic pathway has been demonstrated in human B-CLL (Fedorchenko et al, 2013), but the association between increased expression and prognosis is still undetermined (Fedorchenko et al, 2013 andHerishanu et al, 2011). Our results did not reveal any significant difference in CD44 MFI among different phenotypical subtypes which have been considered of prognostic value in dog (Comazzi et al, 2011), however a definitive conclusion may not be assessed due to the reduced number of cases for each subgroup. mRNA levels of the constant region of CD44, composed by exons 1-5, which encodes for the extracellular globular domain, and exons 16-20, which encodes for transmembrane region and cytoplasmic tail were also analyzed.…”

“…However, both CLL and AL are poorly characterized in dogs and few pathogenic and prognostic studies are available in the literature , Comazzi et al, 2011and Usher et al, 2009. To the best of our knowledge, no information is present in the veterinary literature on the role of CD44 in canine hematopoietic tumors.…”

“…Flow cytometric analysis was performed on PB as previously described (Comazzi et al, 2011). The following monoclonal antibodies were used: CD45-PE (clone YKIX716.13, Serotec), CD44-FITC (clone IM7, Pharmingen), CD3-FITC (clone CA17.2A12, Serotec, T cells), CD4-FITC (clone YKIX302.9, Serotec, T-helper and neutrophils), CD8-PE (clone YCATE55.9, Serotec, Tcytotoxic/suppressor cells), CD5-PE (clone YKIX322.3, T-cell), CD21-PE (clone CA21D6 Serotec, mature B cells), CD34-PE (clone 1H6 Pharmingen, precursor cells), CD79a-PE (clone HM57, Serotec, B-cells), CD14-PE (clone TUK 4 Serotec, monocytes), CD11b-PEcy5 (clone M1/70 ebioscience, myeloid cells), MPO-FITC (clone 2C7,Serotec, myeloid cells).…”

Development of High-Grade B-Cell Lymphoma Concurrent with T-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in a Dog

“…Leifer et al reported that among 22 CLL cases, three dogs had second malignancies (two lymphosarcoma and one undifferentiated round cell sarcoma) [6]. Another publication reported that three dogs developed high-grade lymphoma (two B-CLL dogs progressed to high-grade B-cell lymphoma, and one T-CLL dog progressed to high-grade T-cell lymphoma) among 43 CLL cases [3]. However, the clinical details and outcome of the disease were not included in these reports, causing the lack of information of this phenomenon in our canine counterparts.…”

“…It was possible that our patient first developed T-cell CLL, followed by highgrade B-cell lymphoma as a second malignancy. Moreover, the survival duration of our patient was relatively short (194 days) compared with the survival of dogs with common high-grade B-cell multicentric canine lymphoma treated using the L-VCA short protocol (median survival duration, 396 days [17]) or T-cell CLL (median overall survival time, 930 days [3]). …”