APRIL but not BLyS serum levels are increased in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: prognostic relevance of APRIL for survival

* Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, UMR5535, Montpellier, France ° Department of Statistics and Operation Research, University of Jaén, Spain # Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands @ Service d’Hématologie Biologique, Groupe Hospitalier La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France Correspondence: Lourdes Planelles, PhD, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia/CSIC, Darwin 3, UAM Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain. Phone: international +34.915854855. Fax: international +34.9.13720493. E-mail: lplanelles{at}cnb.uam.es APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand) and BLyS (B lymphocyte stimulator) expression have been reported in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. We examined APRIL and BLyS serum levels in CLL patients and evaluated the prognostic significance of APRIL expression on survival. Key words: LLC, APRIL serum levels, overall survival, prognostic factor.