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Giussani E, Binatti A, Calabretto G, Gasparini VR, Teramo A, Vicenzetto C, Barilà G, Facco M, Coppe A, Semenzato G, Bortoluzzi S, Zambello R. Lack of Viral Load Within Chronic Lymphoproliferative Disorder of Natural Killer Cells: What Is Outside the Leukemic Clone? Front Oncol 2021; 10:613570. [PMID: 33585237 PMCID: PMC7873950 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.613570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Large granular lymphocyte leukemias (LGLL) are sustained by proliferating cytotoxic T cells or NK cells, as happens in Chronic Lymphoproliferative Disorder of Natural Killer cells (CLPD-NK), whose etiology is only partly understood. Different hypotheses have been proposed on the original events triggering NK cell hyperactivation and transformation, including a role of viral agents. In this perspective, we revise the lines of evidence that suggested a pathogenetic role in LGLL of the exposure to retroviruses and that identified Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) in other NK cell leukemias and lymphomas and focus on the contrasting data about the importance of viral agents in CLPD-NK. EBV was detected in aggressive NK leukemias but not in the indolent CLPD-NK, where seroreactivity against HTLV-1 retrovirus envelope BA21 protein antigens has been reported in patients, although lacking clear evidence of HTLV infection. We next present original results of whole exome sequencing data analysis that failed to identify viral sequences in CLPD-NK. We recently demonstrated that proliferating NK cells of patients harbor several somatic lesions likely contributing to sustain NK cell proliferation. Thus, we explore whether "neoantigens" similar to the BA21 antigen could be generated by aberrancies present in the leukemic clone. In light of the literature and new data, we evaluated the intriguing hypothesis that NK cell activation can be caused by retroviral agents located outside the hematopoietic compartment and on the possible mechanisms involved with the prospects of immunotherapy-based approaches to limit the growth of NK cells in CLPD-NK disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Giussani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Binatti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Calabretto
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Clinical Immunology Branch, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Vanessa Rebecca Gasparini
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Clinical Immunology Branch, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Antonella Teramo
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Clinical Immunology Branch, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Cristina Vicenzetto
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Clinical Immunology Branch, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Gregorio Barilà
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Clinical Immunology Branch, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Monica Facco
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Clinical Immunology Branch, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Coppe
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Gianpietro Semenzato
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Clinical Immunology Branch, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Stefania Bortoluzzi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,CRIBI Biotechnology Centre, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Renato Zambello
- Department of Medicine, Hematology and Clinical Immunology Branch, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
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