Potential diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic implications of some new regulatory proteins in hematologic malignancies

Multiple cell surface receptors play an important role in the biology of he matological malignant cells. Like already clustered monoclonal antibodies, the use of new markers of differentiation provide some new information abou t their structure and function. Here we consider the role of few selected r egulatory proteins that are most frequently involved in the processes of ac tivation, cell differentiation and proliferation of human hematological mal ignant cells. These molecules, being either lineage-restricted or multi-lin eage cell activation ones, are involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix commun ications. They are involved in various leukocyte functions such as mobility , interaction with endothelium, and homing. Since physiologic cell growth i nvolves not only cell division, but also programmed-cell death, we consider ed some apoptosis-regulatory molecules implicated in the clinical heterogen eity of hematological malignancies. The presence or absence of staining for these molecules is not only an important discriminatory immunophenotypic f eature, but it appears useful also for prognosis and particularly in an exp erimental therapeutical setting. The prognostic significance of cell-expres sion of these molecules has not yet been clearly established, but it might be helpful in the evaluation of stability and progression of the disease.