Serum total sialic acid levels as an indicator for the humoral immune status in the chemotherapy-treated and untreated patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Forty patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were lested for the serum levels of..total sialic acid (TSA) and the immunoglobulins lgG, IgM, and IgA before and after treatment with six different chemotherapy protocols. While significantly increased ( P<0.001) as compared to the healthy individuals group, serum TSA levels in ALL patients were signilicantly decreased ( P<0.001) in response to all chemotherapy protocols as compared to ALL untreated patients. A linear correlation relationship r2 = 0.936) was found between TSA levels and the period of chemotherapy treatment. Serum levels of IgG, IgM, and IgA showed significant increases ( P<0.001) in ALL patients. These levels were dropped significantly ( P<0.001) after treatment with each of the six chemotherapy treatment protocols, as compared 10 ALL untreated patients. A linear correlation relationship (r? = 0.909) was found between scrum IgA levels and the period of chemotherapy treatment. The results of this study support the role of TSA as an indicator for the disease and the humoral immune status in the untreated ALL patients and suggest such a role for TSA in the chemotherapy treated ALL patients as well.