Proteomics Exploration of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is an adult heme malignancy characterized by the presence of ma-ture-appearing CD5+ B cells in the blood, bone marrow, and secondary lymphoid organs. CLL is heterogeneous in its progression and clinical outcomes. Factors that contribute to the heterogeneity include the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGHV) status and chromosomal aberrations. CLL’s heterogeneous behavior has made it difficult to understand its biology and find a cure. Systems biology approaches are commonly used to establish biomarkers for cancer. Because proteins are targets of FDA approved therapies, proteomics approaches have been used to decipher the c mplex behavior of CLL pathogenesis and identify actionable targets. In this minireview, we highlight factors that contribute to CLL, new insights discovered from proteomics studies, and future directions.