MicroRNAs in Chronic Lymphocyte Leukemia

Abstract

MicroRNAs can be used for gene and genome editing in medical practices. They can be used to help identify the differences in healthy B cells and B cells in individuals with Chronic Lymphocyte Leukemia (CLL). In this study, 94 patients with CLL were tested to see their level of expressions of the 70-kD zeta-associated protein (ZAP-70) and the immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable-region (IgVh) gene, compared to individuals who do not have CLL. Everyone in the study was on a schedule for their treatments, so the researchers took into consideration the time between their diagnosis and length of treatment. This study used genomic sequences to identify the differences in expression from the genes in each patient. The abnormalities were identified in 42 microRNAs, and 13 out of the 190 genes were able to express the difference between healthy B cells and B cells in individuals who have CLL. The microRNAs used in this study were used to help identify the presence or absence of progression from diagnosis to current treatment time. During the research, a germ-line mutation was identified as a deletion of a healthy allele, and this expression would be the cause of CLL. The researchers in this study went on to do the same genome sequencing on 160 patients who do not have CLL and do have a family history of CLL. These patient's panels came back to support the researcher's findings. The use of microRNAs and genome sequencing can be used to help identify mutations that express different diseases.