title: The biological and clinical relationship between CD5+23+ monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
abstract: A CD5(+)23(+) monoclonal B-cell population is detectable in approximately 3% of the general adult population. The phenotype of the monoclonal CD5(+)23(+) B cells is identical to chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) with respect to a large number of proteins in addition to the standard diagnostic markers used to identify CLL. Studies in CLL families and direct assessment of genetic features indicate a close biological association between indolent CLL and the CLL-phenotype cells detected in individuals with a normal blood count. Patients with a CLL-phenotype monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) often have increasing CLL cell counts with time and some progress to a stage requiring treatment. Analysis of intraclonal variation in the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene suggests a process of clonal diversification rather than clonal selection in the early stages of disease progression. CLL-phenotype MBL is detectable in approximately 10% of cases referred for investigation of a lymphocytosis and future studies should be directed towards the detection of factors which identify MBL patients at risk of disease progression.
authors.affiliation: HMDS, Leeds Teaching Hospitals, Leeds, UK. andy.rawstron@hmds.org.uk
authors.forename: Andy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rawstron
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hillmen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018956:CD5 Antigens / Q000097:blood; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D018450:Disease Progression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018956:CD5 Antigens; D017455:Receptors, IgE