Analysis of VH gene expression in CD5+ and CD5- B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

In contrast to highly mutated follicular lymphomas and multiple myelomas, chronic lymphocytic leukemias (CLLs) frequently express VH genes in germline configuration. It is currently unclear whether this difference is related to the expression of CD5 or to the differentiation stage of the B cell when malignant transformation occurs. We have studied the VH sequence of 11 cases of CD5- B-CLL to address the question whether CD5- B-CLL are derived from naive pregerminal B cells (low mutation pattern) or from germinal center- derived memory B cells (high mutation pattern). Among the 12 detected rearrangements (2 distinct rearrangements in 1 case) VH1 family was found in 2, VH2 in 2, VH3 in 4, and VH4 in 4. Nine different VH genes were detected among the 12 rearrangements, including 2 cases expressing V1–69 (51p1) and 1 case expressing V4–39 (VH4.18), previously reported to be overexpressed in CD5+ B-CLL. A higher mutation pattern, following a random distribution, was observed when compared with classical CD5+ B- CLL. However, as reported in normal B cells, these results appeared to be related to membrane Ig phenotype (less mutations in membrane mu delta-expressing forms in leukemias expressing exclusively membrane mu). Overall, the differences found when comparing the mutational profile with classical CD5+ B-CLL were not clearcut and might be explained more by the membrane isotype (mu v mu delta) than by CD5 expression.