Leucemia Linfóide Crônica (LLC) é a leucemia mais comum em países ocidentais, tem apresentação clínica e evolução heterogênea. Especula-se que todos os casos sejam precedidos por Linfocitose B Monoclonal (LBM). Não são bem conhecidos os mecanismos moleculares responsáveis por esta evolução. Alterações na expressão de miRNAs e em comprimento telomérico podem contribuir para desencadear esta neoplasia. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar diferenças em comprimento telomérico e expressão de miRNAs entre pacientes com LLC, portadores de LBM clínica e populacional e controles saudáveis. Estudamos 21 pacientes com LLC, 11 portadores de LBM clínica, 6 de LBM populacional e 10 voluntários saudáveis. Para o controle de comprimento telomérico, utilizamos dados de estudo anterior do nosso serviço com grupo de 261 voluntários saudáveis de 0 a 86 anos. Realizamos separação de células CD19+CD5+ por citometria de fluxo nos grupos de estudo e de linfócitos B no grupo controle. Analisamos expressão dos miRNAs 15a, 16-1, 29b, 34a, 155, 181a e 181b por RT-qPCR e comprimento telomérico por qPCR. O miR- 155 foi o único que demonstrou expressão diferente entre os grupos LLC e LBM, sendo maior nos pacientes com LLC. Este miRNA e o miR-34a têm aumento de expressão nas células com fenótipo anormal, apesar desta diferença não ter tido significância estatística quando considerada a expressão do miR-155 na LBM. Os miRNAs 15a, 16-1, 181a e 181b são hipoexpressos nas células com fenótipo anormal. O miR-29b teve expressão semelhante nos grupos estudados. O comprimento telomérico foi semelhante nos 3 grupos de estudo e menor quando comparados ao grupo controle. O miR-155 tem diferente expressão em LBM e LLC, podendo ser um dos responsáveis por esta evolução. Alterações nos miRNAs 34a, 15a, 16-1, 181a e 181b contribuem para expansão clonal de linfócitos B CD5+. O papel do miR-29b na fisiopatogênese e evolução da LLC ainda não está bem definido. O comprimento telomérico diminuído em LLC e LBM pode fazer parte dos eventos iniciais da fisiopatogênese desta leucemia. / Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia on Western countries, it has an heterogeneous clinical presentation and outcome. Monoclonal BCell Lymphocytosis (MBL) may precede all CLL cases. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this evolution are not known. Aberrant miRNA expression and telomere shortening may contribute for the pathophysiology of this disease. The objective of this study was to identify differences on telomere length and miRNA expression between CLL patients, subjects with clinical and population-screening MBL and healthy volunteers. 21 CLL patients, 11 subjects with clinical MBL, 6 with population-screening MBL and 10 healthy volunteers were enrolled on this study. As control for telomere length, we used a group of 261 healthy volunteers aged 0 to 86 years old that had been enrolled on a previous study from our group. After diagnosis confirmation, it has been done a flow citometry CD19+CD5+ cell sorting for the study groups and CD19+ cell sorting for the control group. The expression of the miRNAs 15a, 16-1, 29b, 34a, 155, 181a and 181b was determined by RT-qPCR. The telomere length was determined by qPCR. miR-155 was the only one with different expression between the CLL and MBL groups, presenting higher expression on the CLL group. This miRNA and the miR-34a are overexpressed on the study groups when compared to the control group, although this difference did not reach statistical significance when the miR-155 expression in MBL is considered. miRNAs 15a, 16-1, 181a and 181b are underexpressed on the study groups. The miR-29b was the only one with similar expression on all groups. The telomere length was similar on the 3 study groups and shorter on these groups when compared to normal subjects. The expression of miR-155 is different in CLL and MBL, it may contribute for this evolution. Aberrant expression of miR 34a, 15a, 16-1, 181a and 181b may contribute for the clonal expansion of CD5+ B lymphocytes. The role of miR-29b on the CLL pathogenesis and evolution is still not understood. The reduced telomere length on CLL and MBL may be part of the initial events of this leukemia pathogenesis.

Leucemia Linfóide Crônica (LLC) é a leucemia mais comum em países ocidentais, tem apresentação clínica e evolução heterogênea. Especula-se que todos os casos sejam precedidos por Linfocitose B Monoclonal (LBM). Não são bem conhecidos os mecanismos moleculares responsáveis por esta evolução. Alterações na expressão de miRNAs e em comprimento telomérico podem contribuir para desencadear esta neoplasia. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar diferenças em comprimento telomérico e expressão de miRNAs entre pacientes com LLC, portadores de LBM clínica e populacional e controles saudáveis. Estudamos 21 pacientes com LLC, 11 portadores de LBM clínica, 6 de LBM populacional e 10 voluntários saudáveis. Para o controle de comprimento telomérico, utilizamos dados de estudo anterior do nosso serviço com grupo de 261 voluntários saudáveis de 0 a 86 anos. Realizamos separação de células CD19+CD5+ por citometria de fluxo nos grupos de estudo e de linfócitos B no grupo controle. Analisamos expressão dos miRNAs 15a, 16-1, 29b, 34a, 155, 181a e 181b por RT-qPCR e comprimento telomérico por qPCR. O miR- 155 foi o único que demonstrou expressão diferente entre os grupos LLC e LBM, sendo maior nos pacientes com LLC. Este miRNA e o miR-34a têm aumento de expressão nas células com fenótipo anormal, apesar desta diferença não ter tido significância estatística quando considerada a expressão do miR-155 na LBM. Os miRNAs 15a, 16-1, 181a e 181b são hipoexpressos nas células com fenótipo anormal. O miR-29b teve expressão semelhante nos grupos estudados. O comprimento telomérico foi semelhante nos 3 grupos de estudo e menor quando comparados ao grupo controle. O miR-155 tem diferente expressão em LBM e LLC, podendo ser um dos responsáveis por esta evolução. Alterações nos miRNAs 34a, 15a, 16-1, 181a e 181b contribuem para expansão clonal de linfócitos B CD5+. O papel do miR-29b na fisiopatogênese e evolução da LLC ainda não está bem definido. O comprimento telomérico diminuído em LLC e LBM pode fazer parte dos eventos iniciais da fisiopatogênese desta leucemia. / Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia on Western countries, it has an heterogeneous clinical presentation and outcome. Monoclonal BCell Lymphocytosis (MBL) may precede all CLL cases. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this evolution are not known. Aberrant miRNA expression and telomere shortening may contribute for the pathophysiology of this disease. The objective of this study was to identify differences on telomere length and miRNA expression between CLL patients, subjects with clinical and population-screening MBL and healthy volunteers. 21 CLL patients, 11 subjects with clinical MBL, 6 with population-screening MBL and 10 healthy volunteers were enrolled on this study. As control for telomere length, we used a group of 261 healthy volunteers aged 0 to 86 years old that had been enrolled on a previous study from our group. After diagnosis confirmation, it has been done a flow citometry CD19+CD5+ cell sorting for the study groups and CD19+ cell sorting for the control group. The expression of the miRNAs 15a, 16-1, 29b, 34a, 155, 181a and 181b was determined by RT-qPCR. The telomere length was determined by qPCR. miR-155 was the only one with different expression between the CLL and MBL groups, presenting higher expression on the CLL group. This miRNA and the miR-34a are overexpressed on the study groups when compared to the control group, although this difference did not reach statistical significance when the miR-155 expression in MBL is considered. miRNAs 15a, 16-1, 181a and 181b are underexpressed on the study groups. The miR-29b was the only one with similar expression on all groups. The telomere length was similar on the 3 study groups and shorter on these groups when compared to normal subjects. The expression of miR-155 is different in CLL and MBL, it may contribute for this evolution. Aberrant expression of miR 34a, 15a, 16-1, 181a and 181b may contribute for the clonal expansion of CD5+ B lymphocytes. The role of miR-29b on the CLL pathogenesis and evolution is still not understood. The reduced telomere length on CLL and MBL may be part of the initial events of this leukemia pathogenesis.

Uncovering the chromosomal abnormalities associated with human malignancy can provide significant insights into the molecular basis of tumorigenesis, as well as identifying potential targets for therapy. The present study set out to examine the genetic characteristics of t(2;7)(p11-12;q21-22) translocations arising in conjunction with chronic B-cell neoplasia. Using long-range PCR, a t(2;7) was initially mapped in an individual presenting with the preclinical entity CD5- monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis. This revealed a breakpoint at 2p11.2 localized to the recombination signal of the immunoglobulin kappa (IGK) variable gene IGKV3-15, and a breakpoint at 7q21.2 located 520 bp upstream of cyclin dependent kinase 6 (CDK6). The same approach was subsequently employed to elucidate near-identical t(2;7) breakpoints in 4 additional cases presenting with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The remarkable consistency of these translocations implicates the dysregulation of CDK6 via translocation to IGK as a recurrent pathomechanism during the emergence of B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.

Uncovering the chromosomal abnormalities associated with human malignancy can provide significant insights into the molecular basis of tumorigenesis, as well as identifying potential targets for therapy. The present study set out to examine the genetic characteristics of t(2;7)(p11-12;q21-22) translocations arising in conjunction with chronic B-cell neoplasia. Using long-range PCR, a t(2;7) was initially mapped in an individual presenting with the preclinical entity CD5- monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis. This revealed a breakpoint at 2p11.2 localized to the recombination signal of the immunoglobulin kappa (IGK) variable gene IGKV3-15, and a breakpoint at 7q21.2 located 520 bp upstream of cyclin dependent kinase 6 (CDK6). The same approach was subsequently employed to elucidate near-identical t(2;7) breakpoints in 4 additional cases presenting with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The remarkable consistency of these translocations implicates the dysregulation of CDK6 via translocation to IGK as a recurrent pathomechanism during the emergence of B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.