Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus RNAs

IT has been proposed that lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus and immunologically related viruses should be placed in a new taxonomic group, with LCM virus as the prototype virus^1,2. They were called arenoviruses because they contain, as a unique feature, electron-dense, sand-like or ribo-some-like granules². The LCM virus contains RNA and we have previously reported that this RNA can be separated into three components by density gradient centrifugation³.     

Lymphocytic hypophysitis and hypothalamitis-case report

Lymphocytic hypophysitis is an unusual disorder that nearly exclusively affects women. We present a case of 69 year-old female patient who developed the symptoms of diabetes insipidus and partial insufficiency of the anterior pituitary gland. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a mass involving the sella and suprasellar region. After exclusion of other causes of infiltrate in this region and due to evident reaction to glucocorticoid treatment the diagnosis of lymphocytic hypophisitis and hypothalamitis was established.     

Nephrotic Syndrome in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

Two patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and the nephrotic syndrome are described in whom deposits were shown in renal glomerular basement membranes in a pattern suggesting immune-complex glomerulonephritis. This renal lesion has been described in one case of squamous carcinoma of the bronchus, in one case of Burkitt''s lymphoma, and in three cases of Hodgkin''s disease though not previously in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Immune-complex glomerulonephritis is, however, a recognized finding in mice infected with leukaemogenic viruses     

The Pathogenesis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

The pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia was examined in a series of 88 cases observed during a 15-year period. In untreated cases the trend of the absolute lymphocyte counts followed two main patterns. In the type I trend, the counts rose throughout the observation period; in the type II trend, the tendency to rise ceased and the counts stabilized above and below a mean value, the stationary trend being maintained for months or years. The type II trend was associated with relatively benign disease. The development of lymphocytosis was correlated with the progression of lymphadenopathy. It is suggested that lymphocytosis may result from the physiological process of recirculation and that the accumulation of lymphocytes may result from the proliferation of a single slightly abnormal cell-line. The abnormal cells might survive an unusually long time because they are unable to respond to stimuli which cause normal lymphocytes to transform.     

Immunofluorescent Cell-Counting Assay for Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus

A quantitative assay for lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus was developed and standardized. The assay is based on direct immunofluorescent staining of infected L-929 cell monolayers and enumeration of cells containing fluorescent viral antigens. Maximal adsorption of virus to cells occurred within 1 h. Observations on the sequential development of viral antigens within cells showed that specific cytoplasmic fluorescence appeared within 10 h. The optimal time for enumerating fluorescent cells was from 18 to 20 h after addition of virus. A linear relationship was demonstrated between the number of infected cells and the relative virus concentration. Fluorescent cells were distributed randomly in infected cover slip cell monolayers. The immunofluorescent cell-counting assay for lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus was highly precise and reproducible.     

Developing Molecular Signatures for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a clonal malignancy of mature B cells that displays a great clinical heterogeneity, with many patients having an indolent disease that will not require intervention for many years, while others present an aggressive and symptomatic leukemia requiring immediate treatment. Although there is no cure for CLL, the disease is treatable and current standard chemotherapy regimens have been shown to prolong survival. Recent advances in our understanding of the biology of CLL have led to the identification of numerous cellular and molecular markers with potential diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic significance. We have used the recently developed digital multiplexed gene-expression technique (DMGE) to analyze a cohort of 30 CLL patients for the presence of specific genes with known diagnostic and prognostic potential. Starting from a set of 290 genes we were able to develop a molecular signature, based on the analysis of 13 genes, which allows distinguishing CLL from normal peripheral blood and from normal B cells, and a second signature based on 24 genes, which distinguishes mutated from unmutated cases (LymphCLL Mut). A third classifier (LymphCLL Diag), based on a 44-gene signature, distinguished CLL cases from a series of other B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (n = 51). While the methodology presented here has the potential to provide a "ready to use" classification tool in routine diagnostics and clinical trials, application to larger sample numbers are still needed and should provide further insights about its robustness and utility in clinical practice.     

Retroviral Vectors Pseudotyped with Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus

Pseudotyping can improve retroviral vector stability and transduction efficiency. Here, we describe a novel pseudotype of murine leukemia virus packaged with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). This pseudotype was stable during ultracentrifugation and infected several cell lines from different species. Moreover, LCMV glycoproteins were not cell toxic.     

54 例慢性淋巴细胞白血病的临床回顾性分析*

摘要目的：本研究旨在探讨慢性淋巴细胞白血病(CLL)的实验室检查特点及特征性临床表现。方法：利用血细胞分析仪、流式细 胞术、骨髓形态分析及R显带技术等对我院2002 年4 月-2012 年4 月收治的54 例慢性淋巴细胞白血病患者的相关临床资料如 血细胞计数、骨髓形态、染色体及免疫表型等进行检测并对结果进行回顾性分析。结果：CLL多发于老年患者,男性多见,中位年 龄65 岁（45-82 岁）。大部分患者初诊时可出现典型的临床表现,37 例（68%）患者初诊时淋巴结大,49 例（91%）初诊时白细胞≥ 10× 109/L,淋巴细胞绝对值≥ 5× 109/L。13 例（24%）初诊时肝脾或者脾大,17 例（31%）初诊时乏力、消瘦。34（63%）例患者可见典 型的CLL免疫表型,CD5、CD19. CD23、CD20 的阳性率分别为90%、87%、72%、67%。32 例患者染色体检测结果表明：13q-2 例, 17p-2 例,11q-1 例,+12 有1 例,6q-1 例,t(14,16)1 例。2 例患者发生了自身免疫性溶血性贫血（AIHA）。1例患者发生了Richter转 化,肿大淋巴结活检显示部分区域为弥漫性大B细胞淋巴瘤,其高表达CD20、CD19、CD22。结论：慢性淋巴细胞白血病具有其典 型的临床表现、免疫表型及遗传学改变,并且对诊断及治疗有重要意义。     

聚焦慢性淋巴细胞白血病治疗药物

过去的10 年,慢性淋巴细胞白血病（CLL）的治疗策略已发生变化,其疗法已有长足进展,即从仅可治标性缓解病痛发展到能致病情完全缓解、最大限度根除疾患和提高存活率。Rituxan（rituximab）的开发及其在免疫化疗中的应用使抗CLL 疗法发生了改变,该药已成为目前用于小于65 岁患者的黄金标准治疗药物。然而,基于Rituxan 的免疫化疗仍仅局限用于两类常见CLL 病例——老年患者和具并发症及高危患者的治疗。再者,在为期两年的一线和二线治疗中,约有25% 和50% 的CLL 患者会复发,且已有数年缓解的患者对后续治疗的疗效较差。因此,对于CLL 的治疗,仍远不能满足需求。早期研究发现,B 细胞受体（BCR）信号通路与CLL 的发生和发展以及治疗后的高反应率与病情持续缓解有关联。鉴于此,靶向BCR信号通路的小分子药物得以快速发展。Imbruvic（ibrutinib）是首个口服Bruton 酪氨酸激酶（BTK）抑制剂,近期经快速审批上市,用于治疗复发/ 顽固性恶性淋巴瘤,但其长期生存率数据目前尚不成熟。眼下,新疗法面临着多个挑战：其需提供更高的反应率,特别是对老年患者和具并发症及高危患者,且需克服当前疗法造成的耐药性。目前,唯一的CLL 根治疗法是同种异体造血干细胞移植（HSCT）,但其并不适用于大多数CLL 患者。而目前CLL 的标准治疗方案是化学免疫疗法,适用于小于65 岁的患者,但老龄或高危患者的治疗选择是有限的。因此,最终的问题是针对CLL 的小分子疗法是否能达到根治目的,期望随着在鉴定与CLL 发病机制和预后相关的细胞遗传学及分子变化方面取得进展,能促进下一代靶向疗法的快速发展。新型靶向性小分子抑制剂,如Imbruvica 和idelablisib,已展现出对CLL 的显著治疗作用。综述CLL 治疗领域重大行业投资和研发的主要市场博弈者和交易亮点。