Distinctive IgVH Gene Segments Usage and Mutation Status in Chinese Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 4708-4708
Author(s):  
Lijuan Chen ◽  
Yaping Zhang ◽  
Wenjuuan Zheng ◽  
Jianyong Li ◽  
Changgeng Ruan

Abstract Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by the relentless accumulation of monoclonal B cells with the appearance of small mature lymphocytes and a characteristic CD5 and CD19 co-expression immunophenotype. The incidence of CLL in Asian countries is lower than that in the Western ones, where CLL is the most common leukemia. To evaluate the frequency and mutation status of immunoglobulin (Ig) variable heavy chain gene (IgVH) expression in Chinese patients with CLL. We investigated IgVH gene segments usage and mutation status by multiplex RT-PCR in 52 CLL patients, and analyzed the relationship between IgVH somatic mutation status and the expression of CD38, ZAP-70 and CLLU1. 38 patients had mutated IgVH, and 14 had unmutated IgVH. The most frequently expressed VH gene family was found to be VH3 (46.2%) followed by VH4 (40.4%), VH1 (5.8%), VH2 (5.8%) and VH7 (1.9%), with no expression of VH5 and VH6 gene families. VH1-69 and VH3-21 which commonly overused in Western CLL weren’t detected in our cohort. The frequency of IgVH gene families indicates significant difference in Chinese CLL patients compared with Western patients, suggesting involvement of ethnic and/or environmental factors in CLL disease initiation. IgVH gene mutation status was significantly associated with the expression of CD38 and CLLU1. The expression of them may be simple and reliable surrogates for the identification of IgVH mutations. VH gene family usage and mutation status VH family n Mutated VH gene Unmutated VH gene VH1 3 3 0 VH2 3 2 1 VH3 24 19 5 VH4 21 16 5 VH5 0 0 0 VH6 0 0 0 VH7 1 0 1

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 4609-4609
Author(s):  
Chun Qiao ◽  
Kourong Miao ◽  
Jianyong Li

Abstract Abstract 4609 Objective The usage, mutation status and prognostic impact of immunoglobulin heavy chain variable (IGHV) gene in Chinese patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is unclear. We set out to define the characteristics of IGHV gene and its relevance to clinical and biological parameter in our patients. Methods IGHV gene mutations were detected by multiplex PCR in 202 Chinese CLL patients and the purified PCR amplification products were sequenced. IGHV somatic hypermutation status and gene usage were analyzed by IMGT/V-QUEST software. The association analysis between IGHV somatic mutation status and the clinical and biological features, including Binet staging, immunophenotype, cytogenetic aberrant, were also emphasized in this study. Results The results showed that 129 patients had mutated (M) IGHV, and the remaining 73 patients had unmutated (UM) IGHV according to the cutoff value of accordance rate 98%. The most frequent VH gene family was found to be VH3 (47.5%), followed by VH4 (34.7%), VH1 (11.4%), VH2 (2.5%), VH5(1.5%), VH7(1.5%) and VH6(0.9%) gene families, which was similar to other Asian populations. The overall survival (OS) time of UM IGHV group was significant shorter than M IGHV group (P=0.025). Significance was found in the expression of CD38 and ZAP-70 between patients with and without IGHV mutations (P<0.0001 and P=0.015, respectively). Binet staging was significantly different with IGHV mutation status (P<0.001). “Unmutated” sequences had significantly longer heavy chain complementarity-determining region 3 (HCDR3). Seven of these patients used VH1-69, which was similar to other Asia countries, but in striking contrast to those in Western countries, where VH1-69 was one of the most frequently used genes. FISH was performed in 117 cases, del(11q22) was considered as high risk factors, and 10(10/42, 23.8%) cases with UM IGHV gene. On the other hand, there were 7(7/75, 9.3%) cases with M IGHV gene (P=0.033). No significance was found in del(17p),del(13q),del(6q),add(12),IGH translocation between IGHV mutation and unmuatioan patients. A total of five stereotyped BCR were identified, IGHV3-21/IGHD3-9/IGHJ6, IGHV4-34/IGHD2-15/IGHJ6, IGHV1-3/IGHD6-19/IGHJ4, IGHV4-59/IGHD3-22/IGHJ6 and IGHV4-39/IGHD6-13/IGHJ5. Conclusions The usage of IGHV gene families indicates significant difference in Chinese CLL patients compared with Western patients, suggesting involvement of ethnic and/or environmental factors in CLL disease initiation. In the development course of CLL, BCR play an important role in the immunological recognition and selection. There are intimate relationships between mutation status of IGHV gene and prognosis. The usage of IGHV provides enlightment for the occurrence mechanism of CLL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (8) ◽  
pp. 2600-2602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Ritgen ◽  
Stephan Stilgenbauer ◽  
Nils von Neuhoff ◽  
Andreas Humpe ◽  
Monika Brüggemann ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate if graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) activity conferred by allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) is effective in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with unmutated VH gene status. The kinetics of residual disease (MRD) were measured by quantitative allele-specific immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 9 patients after nonmyeloablative allo-SCT for unmutated CLL. Despite an only modest decrease in the early posttransplantation phase, MRD became undetectable in 7 of 9 patients (78%) from day +100 onwards subsequent to chronic graft-versus-host disease or donor lymphocyte infusions. With a median follow-up of 25 months (range, 14-37 months), these 7 patients remain in continuous clinical and molecular remission. In contrast, PCR negativity was achieved in only 6 of 26 control patients (23%) after autologous SCT for unmutated CLL and it was not durable. Taken together, this study shows for the first time that GVL-mediated immunotherapy might be effective in CLL with unmutated VH.


Blood ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 99 (6) ◽  
pp. 2262-2264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard Tobin ◽  
Ulf Thunberg ◽  
Anna Johnson ◽  
Ingrid Thörn ◽  
Ola Söderberg ◽  
...  

Abstract Recent studies on the immunoglobulin variable heavy chain (IgVH) genes have revealed that B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) consists of at least 2 clinical entities with either somatically mutated or unmutated VH genes. We have analyzed the VH gene mutation status and VH gene usage in 119 B-CLL cases and correlated them to overall survival. A novel finding was the preferential use of the VH3-21 gene in mutated cases, whereas biased VH1-69 gene usage was found in unmutated cases as previously reported. Interestingly, the subset of mutated cases using the VH3-21 gene displayed distinctive genotypic/phenotypic characteristics with shorter average length of the complementarity determining region 3 and clonal expression of λ light chains. In addition, this mutated subset showed significantly shorter survival than other mutated cases and a similar clinical course to unmutated cases. We therefore suggest that B-CLL cases with mutated VH3-21 genes may constitute an additional entity of B-CLL.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 4984-4984
Author(s):  
M. Sheikholeslami ◽  
W. Ma ◽  
J. Uyeji ◽  
K. Tornyos ◽  
L. Cone ◽  
...  

Abstract The mutation status of the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IgVH) gene is an independent prognostic indicator in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Unmutated IgVH is associated with rapid disease progression and shorter survival. The assay for determining IgVH mutation status depends on specific amplification of the mRNA of the expressed clonal IgVH. The presence of more than 1 clone in patients with CLL has been speculated and can be documented when the 2 clones express different light chains. Determining the IgVH gene family that is expressed in subclones also allows the confirmation of the presence of two clones in some cases. We describe 3 patients with two clones of CLL discovered in the process of determining the IgVH mutation status. PCR amplification of the expressed IgVH mRNA yielded 2 distinct bands. Sequencing each band separately revealed 2 different clones in each patient. Interestingly, each clone had a different mutation profile. In 2 of the 3 patients, the 2 clones were from completely different IgVH gene families (VH1-2 with VH2-5 and VH4-34 with VH5-51); both of these patients showed kappa light chain restriction. In the third patient the expressed IgVH gene family was VH3-21 in both clones, but 1 was mutated (6.8%) and the second was unmutated. Two of the 3 patients had evidence of aggressive disease with hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy; 1 of these patients expressed the VH3-21 gene family, which is known to be associated with aggressive disease irrespective of its mutation status. The other patient had a 9-year history of indolent disease without therapy. The intensity of the expressed IgVH clones as determined by PCR indicated that the mutated clones were dominant in 2 patients (approximately 80%). In the patient with VH3-21 expression, the unmutated clone accounted for 80% of total expressed IgVH. These data suggest that the presence of more than 1 clone should be considered when testing for IgVH mutation status and, more importantly, that evolution of a more aggressive second clone should be suspected. The presence of 2 clones—1 arising in naïve cells and the second in memory cells—suggests the possibility that the first hit occurred very early in the ontogeny of lymphocytes and that a second hit occurred at a later stage. However, the presence of naïve and memory clones in the same family raises the possibility that the naïve leukemic cells might still go through the germinal center programming process.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 105 (12) ◽  
pp. 4807-4812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pawel Grabowski ◽  
Magnus Hultdin ◽  
Karin Karlsson ◽  
Gerard Tobin ◽  
Anna Åleskog ◽  
...  

Abstract B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) consists of 2 prognostic entities where cases with mutated immunoglobulin VH genes have better outcome than unmutated cases. VH-mutated CLLs display longer telomeres compared with unmutated cases and telomere length has been indicated to predict outcome, although the prognostic value of telomere length has not been fully established in CLL. We analyzed telomere length, VH gene mutation status, and clinical parameters in a large series of CLL. Telomere length was assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), giving a very good correlation to telomere length estimated by Southern blotting (P &lt; .001). The prognostic information given by mutation status (n = 282) and telomere length (n = 246) was significant (P &lt; .001, respectively). Telomere length was a prognostic factor for stage A (P = .021) and stage B/C (P = .018) patients, whereas mutation status predicted outcome only in stage A patients (P &lt; .001). Furthermore, mutated CLLs were subdivided by telomere length into 2 groups with different prognoses (P = .003), a subdivision not seen for unmutated cases (P = .232). Interestingly, the VH-mutated group with short telomeres had an overall survival close to that of the unmutated cases. Thus, by combining VH mutation status and telomere length, an improved subclassification of CLL was achieved identifying previously unrecognized patient groups with different outcomes. (Blood. 2005;105:4807-4812)


Blood ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 1410-1416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Kröber ◽  
Till Seiler ◽  
Axel Benner ◽  
Lars Bullinger ◽  
Elsbeth Brückle ◽  
...  

In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), biologic risk factors such as immunoglobulin variable heavy chain gene (VH) mutation status, CD38 expression level, and genomic aberrations have recently been identified, but the relative prognostic impact of the individual parameters is unknown. In the current study, we analyzed VH mutation status by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing (n = 300), genomic aberrations by fluorescence in situ hybridization (+3q, 6q−, +8q, 11q−, +12q, 13q−, t(14q), 17p−) (n = 300), and CD38 expression by triple-color FACS (CD5, CD19, CD38) (n = 157) in a unicentric CLL cohort. The prognostic influence of VH mutation rate and CD38 expression level was tested by maximally selected log-rank statistics. A corrected P value (Pcor) for a cutoff level allowing the best separation of 2 subgroups with different survival probabilities was identified at 97% VH homology (95% confidence interval [CI], 96%-98% homology,Pcor &lt;.001) and at 7% CD38 expression (95% CI, 20%-71% expression, Pcor = .02). In univariate analyses, unmutated VH genes and high CD38 expression levels predicted for shorter survival times. The overall incidence of genomic aberrations was similar in theVH unmutated and VHmutated subgroups. High-risk genomic aberrations such as 17p− and 11q− occurred almost exclusively in the VHunmutated subgroup, whereas favorable aberrations such as 13q− and 13q− as single abnormalities were overrepresented in theVH mutated subgroup. In multivariate analysis, unmutated VH, 17p deletion, 11q deletion, age, WBC, and LDH were identified as independent prognostic factors, indicating a complementary role of VH mutation status and genomic aberrations to predict outcome in CLL.


2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 969-975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Kröber ◽  
Johannes Bloehdorn ◽  
Sebastian Hafner ◽  
Andreas Bühler ◽  
Till Seiler ◽  
...  

Purpose Immunoglobulin heavy chain variable-region (VH) gene mutation status and zeta-associated protein 70 (ZAP-70) expression are correlated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but their concordance is variable. The goal of this study was to elucidate additional factors potentially characterizing their discordance. Patients and Methods We evaluated ZAP-70 expression by flow cytometry, VH status by DNA sequencing, and genomic aberrations by fluorescence in situ hybridization in 148 CLL patients. The parameters were analyzed for their associations and their individual prognostic impact. Results ZAP-70 expression and VH mutation status were strongly associated in CLL without additional genetic high-risk-features as defined by the absence of 11q or 17p deletion and V3-21 usage (concordance 84%). In contrast, the proportion of discordant cases was significantly higher (39%), if such additional genetic high-risk features were present. Discordant cases with V3-21 usage were almost exclusively ZAP-70 positive and VH mutated (89%), whereas all but one of the discordant cases with high-risk aberrations were ZAP-70 negative and VH unmutated (92%). By multivariate regression analysis, two models were developed, which both include high-risk genomic aberrations and, alternatively, VH mutation status and V3-21 usage or ZAP-70 expression as independent outcome predictors. Conclusion There were characteristic modes of discordance between ZAP-70 and VH mutation status depending on the presence or absence of additional genetic high-risk features such as 11q and 17p deletion or V3-21 usage. Although the biologic background for these findings is yet to be determined, these data have biologic and clinical implications regarding ZAP-70 as a pathogenic factor and outcome predictor, respectively.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 175-175
Author(s):  
Fiona Murray ◽  
Mia Thorselius ◽  
Alexander Krober ◽  
Ulf Thunberg ◽  
Gerard Tobin ◽  
...  

Abstract We recently reported that Swedish VH3-21-utilizing chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients showed restricted immunoglobulin gene features and poor prognosis despite VH mutation status. To investigate whether VH3-21+ CLLs have similar characteristics in different parts of the world, we analyzed the VH and VL gene rearrangements in 90 patients from Sweden, Germany, Italy, USA, Finland and Australia and correlated these data with survival. Sixty-three percent of cases exhibited mutated VH genes and 37% had unmutated VH genes. Fifty patients (56%) displayed a short and homologous heavy-chain CDR3, many of these with the amino acid motif, DANGMDV. Also, a highly biased Vλ2-14 usage was evident in 73% of patients with a restricted light-chain CDR3, QVWDS(S/G)SDHPWV. Combined restricted heavy- and light-chain CDR3s were found in patients from all included countries. Although VH3-21+ CLLs have a remarkably predominant λ-expression, analyses of kappa deleting element showed a conserved rearrangement order of the light-chain loci. The overall survival was poor in the VH3-21+ cohort (median survival 88 months) with no significant difference in relation to mutation status or homologous/non-homologous CDR3. In summary, highly restricted B-cell receptors and worse outcome characterize VH3-21+ CLLs independent of geographical origin and mutation status. VH3-21 usage should now be included in prognostic stratification of CLL when assessing mutation status.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 4387-4387
Author(s):  
Jianyong Li ◽  
Wei Xu ◽  
Chun Qiao ◽  
Yu-Jie Wu ◽  
Kourong Miao ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 4387 Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is one of the most common lymphoid malignancies in the Western countries, however, infrequent in Asian populations. Although the median survival is around 10 years, CLL is a disease with an extremely variable clinical course with overall survival times ranging from months to decades; some patients never need treatment, while others require intensive treatment early after diagnosis. Some factors, such as clinical stages, IGHV mutational status, cytogenetic abnormalities, ZAP-70, and the expression of CD38 in leukaemic cells, were strong indicator of prognosis in CLL. However, the prognostic factors of Chinese patients with CLL compared with the Western countries have not yet been clarified. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of factors on the prognosis of Chinese patients with CLL. One hundred and twenty-nine patients with CLL were enrolled in this study. Multiplex PCR and sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and flow cytometry were used to detect IGHV mutational status, cytogenetic abnormalities, and the expression of ZAP-70 and CD38, respectively. A panel of FISH probes included 13q14 (D13S319), 17p13 (p53 gene), 11q23 (ATM gene), 6q23(MYB gene), the centromere of chromosome 12 (D12Z3) and 14q32 (IGHC/IGHV). In 129 CLL patients, according to the Binet clinical staging system, 65 (50.4 %) patients were in Binet A, 28 (21.7 %) in Binet B and 36 (27.9 %) in Binet C. Eighty-four (65.1%) patients had mutated IGHV, and 45 (34.9%) had unmutated IGHV. The most frequently expressed VH gene family was found to be VH3 (50.4%) followed by VH4 (32.6%), VH1 (10.9%), VH2 (2.3%), VH5(2.3%) and VH7 (1.6%), with no expression of VH6 gene families. VH1-69 and VH3-21 which commonly overused in Western CLL patients were very low in our cohort (0.8% and 3.1%, respectively). Molecular cytogenetic aberrations were found in 94 patients (72.9%) and 36 patients (27.9%) with more than two abnormalities. The most frequent abnormalities detected in our patients was del(13q14), with an incidence of 53.0%, followed by 14q32 translocation of 20.2%, +12 of 18.3%, del(11q23) of 10.8%, del(17p13) of 10.o%, and del(6q23) of 6.1%. Forty-one patients (31.8%) were positive for ZAP-70 (≥20%), and 51 patients (39.5%) were positive for CD38 (≥30%). With a median follow-up of 32 months (range, 4-58 months), eight patients (6.2%) died (CLL-related deaths). In univariate analysis for survival, advanced Binet stage (P=0.023), unmutated IGHV status (P=0.002), deletions of 17p13 or 11q23 (P=0.003), high expression of ZAP-70 (P=0.034), and high expression of CD38 (P=0.046) were poor prognostic factors. The prognostic factors with statistical significance were further used in a two-variables Cox analysis, which comparing unmutated IGHV status to other prognostic factors individually to show prognostic independence. The unmutated IGHV status were the independent prognostic factors and strongly associated with OS. This study demonstrates that the frequencies of IGHV gene families indicated significant difference in Chinese CLL patients compared with Western patients, suggesting involvement of ethnic and/or environmental factors in CLL disease initiation. The unmutated IGHV status, Binet clinical stages, Chromosomal aberrations of del(17p13) and del(11q23), high expression of ZAP-70 and CD38 have been shown highly predictive prognostic value for Chinese patients with CLL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


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