OBJECTIVETo explore the differences of CD146 expression in adult and children's acute B cell lymphoblastic leukemia(B-ALL), and its relation with clinical features, molecular biological and cytogenctic claracteristics.

METHODSThe expression of CD146 in bone marrow samples from adult and children's B-ALL patients were detected by flow cytometry (FCM) and the relation of CD146 abnormal high expression with the patients' clinical features, molecular biological and cytogenetical characteristics, as well as other antigens were analyzed.

RESULTSThe abnormal high expression rates of CD146 in adult and children's B-ALL patients were 29.17% and 9.09% respectively, showing that the expression rate of CD146 in adult patients was higher than that in children's patients(P<0.05). In adult B-ALL, CD146 was positively related with CD64 and CD117, while in children's B-ALL CD146 was positively related with CD71 and CD58 (P<0.05). After 1 course of standardized chemotherapy, the complete remission rates in adult and children's B-ALL patients with abnormal high expression of CD146 both were low as compared with adult and children's B-ALL without abnormal high expression of CD146 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression rate of CD146 in adult B-ALL is higher than that in children's B-ALL. The CD146 positively relates with poor prognostic antigens, the CD146 may be one poor prognosis marker.