Objective: To study the relationship between the expression of adhesion molecules CD49d (VLA-4) and CD11a (LFA-1) and the invasiveness of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells.
Methods: Peripheral blood and/or bone marrow samples from 50 AML patients were investigated by APAAP and Western blotting method.
Results: Extramedullary invasion developed in 32 of 50 patients (64%). The expression of CD49d and CD11a in the invasive group was much higher than that in the non-invasive group (P<0.005), while the difference between the leukemic cells from bone marrow and peripheral blood for CD49d/CD11a expression was not significant.
Conclusion: AML cells might adhere to and get through vascular endothelium by CD49d/VCAM-1 and CD11a/ICAM-1 adhesion mechanism, and the expressions of CD49d and CD11a were not critically responsible for the release of leukemic cells from bone marrow.