The In Vivo Expression of Gamma Secretase Catalytic Subunit (Presenilin) in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract

hronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), the most frequent type of leukaemia in adults, is a lymphoproliferative disorder that is characterized by the expansion of monoclonal, mature CD5+CD23+ B cells in the peripheral blood, secondary lymphoid tissues and bone marrow. CLL is an incurable disease with a heterogeneous clinical course, for which the treatment decision still relies on conventional parameters such as clinical stage and lymphocyte doubling time. Gamma secretases are intramembranous multisubunit protease complexes that are composed of four core components (presenilin, nicastnin, presenilin enhancer 2(Pen2) and anterior pharynx-defective 1 (Aph1), and several associated proteins.