Molecular biology and cytogenetics of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Abstract

The introduction of polyclonal B cell mitogens led to the discovery of the first cytogenetic abnormality, trisomy 12, in CLL in 1980 [1]. With the use of more effective mitogens, initially tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA) [2], then CD40 ligand [3], and most recently CpG oligonucleotides combined with Interleukin 2 [4, 5], metaphases can be obtained in the majority of cases of CLL and clonal abnormalities are identifiable in approximately 80 % [6].