Risk of developing chronic lymphocytic leukemia is influenced by HLA-A class I variation

Although chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by a strong familial risk, the genetic basis of inherited susceptibility to CLL is largely unknown. The increased risk of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in relatives of CLL patients suggests a common etiology to B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) through HLA variation.1 Moreover, as B-cell proliferation is part of an adaptive immune response, which can be initiated by major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted T-cell activation, a possible influence of HLA on CLL pathogenesis is plausible.