Modulation of antigen expression in B‐cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia during induction therapy is partly transient: Evidence for a drug‐induced regulatory phenomenon. Results of the AIEOP‐BFM‐ALL‐FLOW‐MRD‐Study Group

Abstract

Our data support the idea that drug-induced modulation rather than selection causes the phenomenon. The good message for MRD assessment is that modulation is transient in at least two (CD10 and CD34) of the five prominent antigens investigated and reverts to initial aberrant patterns after stop of GC therapy, whereas CD20 expression gains new aberrations exploitable for MRD detection.