Finally, in certain instances, as in the case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the clonotypic IG sequence and, more specifically, the load of somatic hypermutations within the rearranged IG heavy variable (IGHV) gene, holds prognostic and potentially predictive value.
CLL cases can be divided in two subgroups with different clinical course based on the mutational status of the immunoglobulin heavy variable (IGHV) genes: mutated CLL (M-CLL) and unmutated CLL (U-CLL).
In this study, using ChIP-sequencing, we identified EZH2 and H3K27me3 target genes in two prognostic subgroups of CLL with distinct prognosis and outcome, i.e., cases with unmutated (U-CLL, n = 6) or mutated IGHV genes (M-CLL, n = 6).
We here describe a patient affected by CLL with a mutated IGHV status, showing a balanced t(1;3)(q23.1;q21.3) translocation and a der(18)t(1;18)(q24.2;p11.32), accompanying the recurrent 13q14 heterozygous deletion in all analyzed cells at onset.
Patients with IGH-BCL3 translocation were more likely to have high and very-high CLL-International Prognostic Index, compared to patients with IGH-BCL2 translocation and the non-IGH group.
Most important markers in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are TP53 abnormalities, including mutations and deletions, and the mutational status of immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGHV) genes.
Here, we used a quantitative label-free proteomic technique to ascertain differences in the B-cell proteome from healthy donors and CLL patients with either mutated (M-CLL) or unmutated (UM-CLL) IGHV to identify new prognostic markers.
Herein, we demonstrate that the mithralog EC-7072 displays high <i>ex vivo</i> cytotoxic activity against leukemia cells from CLL patients independently from high-risk prognostic markers and IGHV mutational status.
We herein suggest that the combined assessment of the IGHV mutational status and CK subtypes refines the prognostication of CLL, allowing to identify M-IGHV patients without any CK subtypes who are characterised by an indolent disease and excellent outcome after chemoimmunotherapy.
In addition, we demonstrate that relative increase of SETA to SETB mRNA can discriminate patients with a more aggressive disease course within the otherwise favourable CLL risk classifications of IGHV mutated and favourable hierarchical fluorescence in situ hybridisation groups.
The n-CLL, i-CLL, and m-CLL signatures were found in 80% (n = 245/305), 17% (53/305), and 2% (7/305) of IGHV-unmutated (IGHV-U) cases, respectively, and in 9%, (19/216), 50% (108/216), and 41% (89/216) of IGHV-M cases, respectively.
These agents lead to improved outcomes in CLL, even among patients with high-risk features, such as del17p13 or TP53 mutation and unmutated immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGHV) genes.
Altogether, our results show that a combination of normal SPE and mutated IGHV genes defines a subgroup of patients with CLL who evolve very slowly and who might never need treatment.
Currently, a cut-off of 2% deviation or 98% sequence identity to germline in IGHV sequence is routinely used to dichotomize CLL patients into mutated and unmutated groups.
However, preferential use of unmutated IGHV genes was unique to Boxers with CLL, suggesting Boxers may be a valuable model to investigate unmutated CLL.
The specific quantification of endogenous LPL protein correlates with mRNA expression levels and mutational IGHV status, suggesting LPL protein as a possible reliable prognostic marker in CLL.