ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the expression characteristics of Tim-3 on natural killer (NK) cells of peripheral blood in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and its clinical significance. Methods: Peripheral blood was obtained from 39 patients with newly diagnosed AML before intervention, with peripheral blood from 28 cases of healthy volunteers collected as normal control. Using CD3, CD56 and Tim-3 as markers, expression levels of Tim-3 on the peripheral blood NK cells were detected by immune fluorescence labeling and flow cytometry. Results: The ratio of the peripheral blood CD3(-)CD56(+) NK cells in newly diagnosed AML patients (5.74±5.31) %decreased significantly, compared with the normal control (12.55±6.33) % (t=4.596, P<0.001) . Tim-3 expression on the peripheral blood NK cells in newly diagnosed AML patients (42.67±19.08) % decreased significantly, compared with the normal control group (60.99±20.69) % (t=3.781, P<0.001) . CD3(-)CD56(+)NK cell ratio of peripheral blood in AML patients was significantly correlated with Chromosome karyotype (t=2.915, P<0.005) . Expression level of Tim-3 on NK cells in the peripheral blood of AML patients had significant correlation with ratio of CR and NCCN high risk group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The rate of NK cells in peripheral blood and the expression level of Tim-3 on NK cells in AML patients decreased significantly.The lower expression level of Tim-3 on NK cells correlate with prognosis of AML.