Abstract
The clinical course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is highly variable. Immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IgHV) mutation status is among the most important prognostic factors, with unmutated IgHV associated with inferior outcomes. CLL presumably arises from mature B cells. However, we hypothesized that IgHV unmutated CLL could arise early in B cell differentiation. We prospectively studied 29 patients with mutated and 88 with unmutated IgHV CLL for the presence of CD34+CD19+ cells harboring CLL chromosomal abnormalities. CD34+CD19+ cells were never detected in mutated CLL. In contrast, a small but distinct population of CD34+CD19+ cells harboring the CLL chromosomal abnormality was present in 86/88 patients with unmutated IgHV across all cytogenetic subtypes. Moreover, the CD34+CD19+ cells generated a 3.8 ± 0.7 fold CLL cell expansion over 3–4 weeks in cultures containing IL-3 and IL-2. Unmutated IgHV CLL appears to arise in CD34+ B cells, which perhaps contributes to its poorer prognosis.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.