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Abstract
Acute leukemias are a heterogenous group of neoplasms affecting uncommitted or partially committed hematopoietic stem cells. Leukemogenesis is considered a multistep process by which a sequence of transformation events progressively modifies the capacity of hemopoietic progenitors to proliferate, survive and differentiate.
IL-3 and the other cytokines enhance cell cycle progression and differentiation whilst inhibiting apoptosis of hematopoitic cells. It may play a role in leukemogenesis by acting as a tumor promoter, inducing the proliferation of leukemic cells and inhibiting apoptosis. It exerts its activity through binding to a specific cell surface receptor known as interleukin-3 receptor (IL-3R). IL-3R is a heterodimeric structure composed of a 70KDa IL-3? subunit (CD123) which is specific for IL-3 and binds IL-3 with relatively low affinity and a 120-140 KDa IL-3R ? subunit which does not bind any cytokine by itself, but forms a high affinity receptor with IL-3R?.
In the present study, we investigated the expression of CD123 in a group of acute leukemias (AML and ALL) and its value as discriminating marker to differentiate between normal and tumoral cells.