The aim of CLLon was the dissection of the processes related to the B-cell receptor immunoglobulin (BcR IG) that occur throughout the natural history of CLL and contribute to disease ontogeny and evolution through in-depth immunogenetic and functional studies of the clonotypic BcR IG. To reach solid conclusions, the study group comprised individuals with MBL of both subtypes: (i) low-count MBL (LC-MBL) and (ii) high-count MBL (HC-MBL), as well as patients with CLL with distinct clinical courses, ranging from ultra-stable (asymptomatic for at least 10 years) to rapidly progressive. A multiparametric characterization of the BcR properties in MBL and CLL was performed at different levels: (i) IG heavy and light chain sequence composition, (ii) BcR reactivity profile and (iii) (classical and autonomous) BcR signaling capacity.
