Research Information System
Turkish Journal of Immunology, vol.8, no.1, pp.6-12, 2020 (ESCI)
Introduction: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that arises by malignant transformation of mature B cell is the most common leukemia in elderly. CLL is characterized by accumulation of CD5+CD19+ cells in the peripheral blood and lymphoid organs. While CD8+ T lymphocytes response intracellular pathogen and tumor, CD4+ T lymphocytes regulate immune response. T follicular (Tfol) cells stimulate affinity maturation and class-switch recombination in B lymphocytes due to cytokine and surface molecules. In this study, we aimed to investigate CD4+T, CD8+T and CD3+CD4+CXCR5+ follicular T (Tfol) cells in the peripheral blood of the CLL patients compared to healthy controls. Materials and Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 37 patients with CLL and 16 healthy subjects. CD4+ T, CD8+ T and Tfol cells in peripheral blood samples were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: CD4+ T, CD8+ T and Tfol cells were decreased in all lymphocyte population, CD4+T cells are decreased, and CD8+ T and Tfol cells are increased but in T cell population. There was no differences T cell subgroups and clinical outcome. Conclusions: Although the high CD8+ T lymphocyte and Tfol cell ratios observed in patients may not be a prognostic marker for the clinical course of the disease, the increased Tfol cell ratio as a result of the disease may be the source of the cytokines required for the survival and proliferation of leukemic B cells and the induction of enzymes that were though to be associated with chromosomal deletions in these cells.