0000000000025673

AUTHOR

Serena Matis

Differentiation on Biological Basis of Monoclonal B-Cell Lymphocytosis (MBL) From Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): Results of a Prospective GISL (Gruppo Italiano Studio Linfomi) Trial

Abstract Abstract 1360 The arbitrary cut-off of 5000/μL chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)-phenotype cells in peripheral blood is generally used to separate monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) from CLL. However, a major concern is the biological differentiation, if any, between MBL and CLL. We tried to address the issue therefore analyzing 261 Rai stage 0 patients enrolled in a Gruppo Italiano Studio Linfomi (GISL) prospective multicentre trial designed to validate biological parameters in early CLL as well as to assess the impact on clinical outcome of an early versus delayed policy of treatment with subcutaneous alemtuzumab in the high biological risk. In this cohort, biological charact…

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The Pro-Inflammatory IL23/IL23R/IL17 Axis Is Active in IL23R-Expressing Circulating CLL Cells in Patients with Poor Prognosis

Abstract Abstract 3889 Inflammatory cytokines play a biological role in the pathogenesis of Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). IL23 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in T-cell responses and in tissue remodeling. It has been shown that the IL23 receptor (IL23R) is up-regulated in primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells, and that IL23 inhibits ALL cell growth. Nevertheless, the anti-tumor function of IL23 still remains controversial. The role of the IL23R/IL23 axis in CLL has not been investigated so far. Herein we evaluated the expression pattern of IL23R/IL23 axis and its correlation with progression free survival (PFS) in CLL patients. A total of 233 newly diagnosed Binet s…

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Functional Activation of Osteoclast Commitment in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia: A Possible Role for RANK/RANKL Pathway

AbstractSkeletal erosion has been found to represent an independent prognostic indicator in patients with advanced stages of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Whether this phenomenon also occurs in early CLL phases and its underlying mechanisms have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we prospectively enrolled 36 consecutive treatment-naïve patients to analyse skeletal structure and bone marrow distribution using a computational approach to PET/CT images. This evaluation was combined with the analysis of RANK/RANKL loop activation in the leukemic clone, given recent reports on its role in CLL progression. Bone erosion was particularly evident in long bone shafts, progressively inc…

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MiR-146b-5p regulates IL-23 receptor complex expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells

Abstract Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells express the interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) chain, but the expression of the complementary IL-12Rβ1 chain requires cell stimulation via surface CD40 molecules (and not via the B-cell receptor [BCR]). This stimulation induces the expression of a heterodimeric functional IL-23R complex and the secretion of IL-23, initiating an autocrine loop that drives leukemic cell expansion. Based on the observation in 224 untreated Binet stage A patients that the cases with the lowest miR-146b-5p concentrations had the shortest time to first treatment (TTFT), we hypothesized that miR-146b-5p could negatively regulate IL-12Rβ1 side chain expression and clo…

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Microenvironmental regulation of the IL-23R/IL-23 axis overrides chronic lymphocytic leukemia indolence

Although the progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) requires the cooperation of the microenvironment, the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms involved are still unclear. We investigated the interleukin (IL)-23 receptor (IL-23R)/IL-23 axis and found that circulating cells from early-stage CLL patients with shorter time-to-treatment, but not of those with a more benign course, expressed a defective form of the IL-23R complex lacking the IL-12Rβ1 chain. However, cells from both patient groups expressed the complete IL-23R complex in tissue infiltrates and could be induced to express the IL-12Rβ1 chain when cocultured with activated T cells or CD40L+ cells. CLL cells activated in…

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