OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between dynamic change of IL-32 level and disease development in the patients with acute leukemia(AL) and to explore its clinical significance.

METHODSThe serum IL-32 levels and IL-32 mRNA expression in 82 cases of AL and 30 healthy persons were measured by ELISA and real-time PCR.

RESULTSCompared with healthy persons, the serum IL-32 protein level and IL-32 mRNA expression in AL, acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) and acute non-lymphocytic leukemia(ANLL) groups all were significantly higher(P<0.05). The serum level of IL-32 protein and mRNA expression in newly diagnosed, PR and relapsed ALL and ANLL groups were all higher than those in the control group(P<0.05), and the serum protein level of IL-32 in relapsed ALL and ANLL groups were higher than that in other stage group(P<0.05). The serum levels of IL-32 protein and mRNA were not significantly different between CR and control group(P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe IL-32 in the peripheral blood of patients with AL has been found to be closely related with the occurrence and development of disease, therefore, monitoring the dynamic changes of serum IL-32 level would contribute to the clinical judgment of the severity, the IL-32 levels can be used as indicators for the therapeutic efficacy for AL.