Molecular characterization of the microenvironment in CLL-like monoclonal B cell lymphocytosis and early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia

The analysis of the microenvironment in CLL-like monoclonal B cell lymphocytosis (MBL) and early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is relevant for understanding the natural history of CLL. To this end, a total of 58 MBL, 54 early-stage CLL and 31 healthy subjects were extensively characterized by various immunological and molecular methods. Purified CD4+ and CD8+ mononuclear cells from peripheral blood were subjected to gene expression studies and T cell receptor (TR) repertoire analysis, whereas cytokine immunoassays were performed in serum samples. Gene expression studies in CD4+ cells revealed increased cytotoxic and inflammatory pathways, which were higher in MBL than in early-stage CLL. Gene dysregulation was not remarkable in CD8+ cells. Increased serum levels of cytokines such as IL8, IFNγ and TNFα were also observed in MBL, while early-stage CLL generally displayed lower cytokine levels, especially amongst cases bearing somatically hypermutated IGHV genes. TR analysis demonstrated oligoclonality in both entities with persisting T cell clones over time and increasing clonality within CD4+ T cells concurrently with the expansion of neoplastic B cells. Besides, identical T cell clonotypes were identified in different MBL/CLL cases. All these findings implicate inflammatory processes and antigenic elements in the immune background of CLL, whose effects are significantly altered during progression from MBL to CLL. ; El estudio del microambiente en la linfocitosis B monoclonal (LBM) de tipo LLC y en estadios iniciales de la leucemia linfática crónica (LLC) tiene gran relevancia para entender la historia natural de la enfermedad. Con este objetivo se caracterizaron 58 casos de LBM, 54 de LLC en fases iniciales y 31 sujetos sanos. Se analizó la expresión génica y el repertorio del receptor de células T (TR) en fracciones de células mononucleares CD4+ y CD8+ purificadas a partir de sangre periférica. Además, se realizaron inmunoensayos para medir niveles de citoquinas en suero. Los estudios de expresión ...