Interleukin 2 (IL 2) production by phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was investigated in 22 patients with active untreated B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and in 15 healthy donors. PBMCs from healthy donors demonstrated an IL 2 synthesis of 12.4 +/- 10 U/mL. B-CLL PBMCs produced a significant amount of IL 2 (8 +/- 6.6 U/mL) despite the lo...

The immunologic surface markers on lymphocytes and clinical characteristics of 35 patients with established (stages 0-4) CLL with absolute lymphocyte counts greater than 15,000/cu mm were compared to those of a group of 25 patients with CLL in an early or preleukemic phase (counts of less than 15,000/cu mm). We found a monoclonal B cell proliferation in most cases in the latter group, in spite ...

Cancer cells frequently exhibit defects in apoptosis, which contribute to increased survival and chemotherapeutic resistance. For example, genetic mutations or abnormal proteasomal degradation can reduce expression of Bax which limits apoptosis. In cancers where abnormal proteasomal degradation of Bax occurs, we hypothesized that Bax peptides that bind to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I m...

BACKGROUND Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia in western civilization. The accumulation of CD5+CD19+ B lymphocytes in peripheral blood is due to a defect in the apoptotic pathway rather than excessive proliferation in the bone marrow and lymph nodes. Despite a number of treatments, CLL remains an incurable disease. Valproic acid (VPA) activity, as a histone dea...

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by the accumulation of leukemic B cells in peripheral blood, bone marrow (BM) and lymphoid tissues, and by their recirculation between these compartments. We observed that circulating chromogranin A (CgA) and its N-terminal fragment (called vasostatin-1, CgA1-76), two neuroendocrine secretory polypeptides that enhance the endothelial barrier f...

CLL has been defined as presence of more than 5000 small mature appearing monoclonal B lymphocytes with a specific immunophenotype in peripheral blood. It is a well-known fact that CLL is associated with autoimmune cytopenias. CLL cells are CD5(+) B lymphocytes, and usually are not the "guilty" cells which produce autoantibodies. T cell defect is another characteristic of CLL and the total numb...

Bi-directional communication with the microenvironment is essential for homing and survival of cancer cells with implications for disease biology and behaviour. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the role of the microenvironment on malignant cell behaviour is well described. However, how CLL cells engage and recruit nurturing cells is poorly characterised. Here we demonstrate that CLL cells...

ownloade kground: Other than male sex, family history, advanced age, and race, risk factors for chronic lymphoeukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) are unknown. Very few studies have investidiet in relation to these leukemias, and no consistent associations are known. thods: Using two large prospective population-based studies, we evaluated the relationship between nd CLL/SLL risk. A...

Antiapoptotic B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) family proteins are expressed in many cancers, but the circumstances under which these proteins are necessary for tumor maintenance are poorly understood. We exploited a novel functional assay that uses BCL2 homology domain 3 (BH3) peptides to predict dependence on antiapoptotic proteins, a strategy we call BH3 profiling. BH3 profiling accurately ...

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is one of the most common B-cell malignancies in adults, characterized by an accumulation of monoclonal CD5 mature B-cells in lymphoid tissues and peripheral blood (PB). Clonal expansion and invasive migration typically lead to CLL cell involvement in the lymph nodes (LNs), spleen and bone marrow (BM). Signaling from the B-cell antigen receptor regulates multi...