title: Involvement of memory T-cells in the pathophysiology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: The role of T-cells in the pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia has recently gained much attention due to the importance of the constant interaction between neoplastic B-cells with microenvironment substratum and T-cells. It is believed that these interactions modulate the clinical course of the disease, mainly through the regulation of the expansion, differentiation, and survival of chronic lymphocytic leukemia B-cells. Importantly, this crosstalk may also change the number, function, and memory phenotype of normal T-cells, thereby altering the amplitude and/or efficiency of adaptive immunity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients. The present study presents an overview on important aspects of this immunological crosstalk, particularly on the abnormalities of chronic lymphocytic leukemia B-cells and the alterations in normal T-cells, with focus on the CD4 memory T-cell compartment that could offer survival signals to chronic lymphocytic leukemia B-cell clone(s) and contribute to the establishment and progression of the disease. The authors believe that understanding the biological consequences of the interaction between normal T- and neoplastic B-cells in chronic lymphocytic leukemia may allow for improvements in the prognostic information and therapeutic approaches for this disease.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil ; Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (HIAE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodolfo Patussi
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia Amoroso
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Matos E Silva
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (HIAE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil ; Centro de Hematologia de São Paulo (CHSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nydia Strachman
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Bacal
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (HIAE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Vidal
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Campregher
authors.affiliation: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (HIAE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamerschlak
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil ; Instituto de Investigação em Imunologia, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT), Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Amarante-Mendes
keywords: B-cell; Immunologic memory; Leukemia lymphocytic chronic; T-lymphocytes