PREFERRED USAGE OF SPECIFIC IMMUNOGLOBULIN GENE SEGMENTS IN CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA CELLS OF 3 HLA-IDENTICAL SISTERS

We report three family members, including a set of identical twins, wh o developed CD5 positive B-CLL. The patients are female Ashkenazi Jews sharing an identical HLA mal studies suggest a process of clonal evol ution in one of the phenotype. Two of the HLA loci (B35 and Cw4) were twins. common with those already described as being shared by Ashkenaz i Jews with an increased incidence of CLL, The rearranged immunoglobul in genes of the malignant cells of all three patients were found to ex press genetically related V-H regions belonging to the V-H(3) subgroup , and chromosomal studies suggest a process of clonal evolution in one of the twins.