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01-10-2012 | Original Article

Elevated serum granulysin and its clinical relevance in mature NK-cell neoplasms

Authors: Nodoka Sekiguchi, Naoko Asano, Toshiro Ito, Kayoko Momose, Masanobu Momose, Fumihiro Ishida

Published in: International Journal of Hematology | Issue 4/2012

Abstract

Mature natural killer (NK)-cell neoplasms include extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKL), aggressive NK-cell leukemia (ANKL) and chronic lymphoproliferative disorders of NK cells (CLPD-NK). Granulysin, a cytolytic granule protein, is expressed in cytotoxic T cells and NK cells, and is found in the sera as well, and functions as a cytotoxic and proinflammatory protein. Cytolytic proteins, such as granzyme B and perforin, have been shown to play crucial pathophysiological roles in NK/T cell neoplasms and have also been utilized for diagnostic purposes. Granulysin in NK-cell proliferative disorders, however, has yet to be fully analyzed. To elucidate the clinical relevance of granulysin in mature NK-cell neoplasms, we measured serum granulysin and analyzed cytolytic molecules immunohistologically. The median concentrations of serum granulysin were 39.0, 2.85, 2.8 and 1.35 ng/ml in ANKL, ENKL, CLPD-NK and healthy subjects, respectively (P < 0.01). Serum granulysin was significantly elevated in patients with ANKL compared with the levels in ENKL (P = 0.006) and CLPD-NK (P = 0.037). Furthermore, serum granulysin was correlated with whole-blood EBV viral load in ENKL and ANKL (P = 0.005) and was significantly reduced after treatment. Different expression patterns of cytolytic granule proteins were observed among the mature NK-cell neoplasms. Granulysin is closely associated with the characteristics of NK-cell neoplasms and serum granulysin may serve as a novel biomarker for these disorders.

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Title: Elevated serum granulysin and its clinical relevance in mature NK-cell neoplasms
Authors: Nodoka Sekiguchi
Naoko Asano
Toshiro Ito
Kayoko Momose
Masanobu Momose
Fumihiro Ishida
Publication date: 01-10-2012
Publisher: Springer Japan
Published in: International Journal of Hematology / Issue 4/2012
Print ISSN: 0925-5710
Electronic ISSN: 1865-3774
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-012-1159-x

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