INTRODUCTION Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis is a symptom free condition characterized by the circulation of small clonal population of B lymphocytes in peripheral blood (less than 5x10(9)/L) expressing an immunophenotype similar to chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Different studies based on big hospital series have manifested a higher risk in subjects with monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis to progr...

Actin, a major cytoskeletal protein, was quantitated in normal and chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes. The actin content of normal human blood lymphocytes was 2.2 +/- 0.4 mg/10(9) cells and represented 6.6% +/- 1.8% of the total cellular protein. A significant decrease (p less than 0.001) was noted in chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes that contained 1.4 +/- 0.3 mg actin/10(9) cells...

Purpose: The role of antigen(s) in shaping the T-cell repertoire in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, although relevant for understandingmalignant cell interactions with cognate T cells, is largely unexplored. Experimental Design: Here we profiled the T-cell receptor b chain gene repertoire in 58 chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients, focusing on cases assigned to well-characterized subsets with st...

BACKGROUND In spite of potent first-line therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, treatment remains palliative and all patients frequently relapse. Treatment options for these patients are more limited. BL22 is a recombinant protein composed of the variable region of a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD22 and of PE38, a truncated Pseudomonas exotoxin. BL22 is a very potent drug already use...

BACKGROUND The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt pathway has been described to be critical in the survival of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. In this study we analyzed the effect of two selective chemical inhibitors of Akt (Akti-1/2 and A-443654) on the survival of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. DESIGN AND METHODS Using cytometry we studied the cytotoxic effects of Akt inhibitors on ...

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) remains an incurable disease, with all patients who require therapy destined to relapse and understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia has advanced significantly. It is now clear that chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a relatively proliferative disorder that requires the help of its microenvironment to be maintained and to progress. The...

3. Mattsson J, Uzunel M, Remberger M, et al. Minimal residual disease is common after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation in patients with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and may be controlled by graft-versus-host-disease. Leukemia. 2000;14:247-254. 4. Mehta J, Powles R, Singhal S, Iveson T, Treleaven J, Catovsky D. Clinical and hematological response of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and pr...

BACKGROUND The concept of "accelerated" chronic lymphocytic leukemia is frequently used by both pathologists and clinicians. However, neither histological criteria to define this form of chronic lymphocytic leukemia nor its clinical correlates and prognostic impact have been formally defined in large series of patients. DESIGN AND METHODS Tissue biopsies from 100 patients with chronic lymphoc...

The mechanism of the hypogammaglobulinemia in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was studied by determining the generation of specific immunoglobulin-secreting cells in response to mitogen and antigen stimulation in culture. Normal peripheral blood B lymphocytes from 18 normal subjects cocultured with equal numbers of autologous T cells generated cells secreting 2,542 +/- 695 IgG,...

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a malignancy of mature B cells that strongly depend on microenvironmental factors, and their deprivation has been identified as a promising treatment approach for this incurable disease. Cytokine array screening of 247 chronic lymphocytic leukemia serum samples revealed elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-1 which were associated with poor clin...