title: Role of the B-cell receptor in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: where do we stand?
abstract: The past 15 years have witnessed an enormous effort in studying B-cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. A great number of researches brought significant novel information and a better understanding of the natural history of this disease. This mini review will focus on the studies related to the Immunoglobulin variable (IgV) genes rearrangements that compose the B-cell receptor (BcR) of the leukemic clones. These studies have defined a role for the antigen(s) in the paths that lead to leukemic clone generation/expansion and underscore the informative value represented by BcR analyses.
authors.affiliation: Section of Human Anatomy, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa. franco.fais@unige.it
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fais
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghiotto
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002999:Clone Cells; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000502:physiology; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell