Soluble MICA as an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival and progression-free survival of multiple myeloma patients

• Published in: Clinical Immunology Vol. 123; no. 1; pp. 114 - 120
• Main Authors: Rebmann, Vera, Schütt, Philipp, Brandhorst, Dieter, Opalka, Bertram, Moritz, Thomas, Reza Nowrousian, Mohammad, Grosse-Wilde, Hans
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 01-04-2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor; Disease-Free Survival; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - blood; Humans; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Medical sciences; Multiple myeloma; Multiple Myeloma - blood; Multiple Myeloma - mortality; Multiple Myeloma - pathology; Neoplasm Staging; NKG2D ligand; Overall survival; Prognosis; Prognostic marker; Progression-free survival; Soluble MICA; Survival Analysis; Overall survival; Soluble MICA; Progression-free survival; NKG2D ligand; Prognostic marker; Multiple myeloma; Human; Immunopathology; Prognosis; Ligand; NKG2D receptor; Biological marker; Malignant hemopathy; Soluble form; Myeloma; Immunology; Immunoglobulinopathy; Lymphoproliferative syndrome; Progression free survival
• ISSN: 1521-6616; 1521-7035; 1365-2567
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2006.11.007

Abstract Major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain A (MICA) molecules are frequently expressed in lymphoproliferative malignancies including multiple myeloma (MM). MICA activates NK cells and co-stimulates T cells by interaction with its immunoreceptor NKG2D. In contrast, soluble MICA (sMICA) molecules impair the functions of NKG2D+ T and NK cells, which may facilitate tumor cell escape from immunosurveillance. Here, we analyzed the clinical relevance of sMICA in 97 MM patients. sMICA (mean ± SEM pg/ml) was significantly increased ( p < 0.0001) in patients (429 ± 20) compared to controls (230 ± 20; N = 43). Serial determination showed a strong correlation between increments of sMICA and paraprotein levels ( r = 0.543, p < 0.0001, N = 49). sMICA levels > 305 pg/ml are associated with a poor overall ( p = 0.004) and progression-free survival ( p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis revealed sMICA as an independent predictive factor for overall ( p = 0.007) and progression-free survival ( p = 0.002). Thus, our results suggest sMICA as a potent prognostic marker in MM, which may be useful to identify risk patients.