Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) is rare in Asians, and patients with CLL/SLL seldomly undergo kidney biopsy. The histopathological features and clinical relevance of tubulointerstitial injury in CLL/SLL have not been extensively charaterized. Hence, we attempted to describe the clinical characteristics, renal pathology and clinical outcome of a well-characterized population of CLL/SLL patients with CLL cell infiltration in the renal interstitium from a large single center in China.
Between January 1st, 2010 and September 31st, 2020, 31946 renal biopsy pathologies were performed at Peking University First Hospital, and 10 CLL/SLL patients with CLL cell infiltration in the renal interstitium were included. Complete clinical data were collected from these 10 patients, and renal specimens were examined by routine light microscopy, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy.
The extent of the infiltrating CLL cells in patients with CLL/SLL varied among different patients and ranged from 10–90% of kidney parenchyma. Six (60%) of 10 patients presented with an extent of infiltrating CLL cells ≥ 50%. Interestingly, we found that three patients (3/10, 30%) expressed monoclonal immunoglobulins in the infiltrating CLL cells, and special cytoplasmic crystalline structures were found in two of the three patients by electron micriscopy for the first time. Severe renal insufficiency (Scr ≥ 200 µmol/L ) was associated with ≥ 50% interstitial infiltration of CLL cells in the renal interstitium.
The findings confirmed that CLL cells infiltrating the renal interstitium can directly secrete monoclonal immunoglobulins, indicating that the interstitial infiltrating CLL cells probably cause renal injuriy directly by secreting monoclonal immunoglobulins in situ. This finding may prove a new clue to elucidate the pathogenetic mechanism of renal injury involved with CLL/SLL .

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Posted 16 Mar, 2021
On 05 Apr, 2021
On 05 Apr, 2021
Received 05 Apr, 2021
On 22 Mar, 2021
Received 21 Mar, 2021
On 11 Mar, 2021
Invitations sent on 08 Mar, 2021
On 07 Mar, 2021
On 07 Mar, 2021
On 07 Mar, 2021
On 03 Mar, 2021
Posted 16 Mar, 2021
On 05 Apr, 2021
On 05 Apr, 2021
Received 05 Apr, 2021
On 22 Mar, 2021
Received 21 Mar, 2021
On 11 Mar, 2021
Invitations sent on 08 Mar, 2021
On 07 Mar, 2021
On 07 Mar, 2021
On 07 Mar, 2021
On 03 Mar, 2021
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) is rare in Asians, and patients with CLL/SLL seldomly undergo kidney biopsy. The histopathological features and clinical relevance of tubulointerstitial injury in CLL/SLL have not been extensively charaterized. Hence, we attempted to describe the clinical characteristics, renal pathology and clinical outcome of a well-characterized population of CLL/SLL patients with CLL cell infiltration in the renal interstitium from a large single center in China.
Between January 1st, 2010 and September 31st, 2020, 31946 renal biopsy pathologies were performed at Peking University First Hospital, and 10 CLL/SLL patients with CLL cell infiltration in the renal interstitium were included. Complete clinical data were collected from these 10 patients, and renal specimens were examined by routine light microscopy, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy.
The extent of the infiltrating CLL cells in patients with CLL/SLL varied among different patients and ranged from 10–90% of kidney parenchyma. Six (60%) of 10 patients presented with an extent of infiltrating CLL cells ≥ 50%. Interestingly, we found that three patients (3/10, 30%) expressed monoclonal immunoglobulins in the infiltrating CLL cells, and special cytoplasmic crystalline structures were found in two of the three patients by electron micriscopy for the first time. Severe renal insufficiency (Scr ≥ 200 µmol/L ) was associated with ≥ 50% interstitial infiltration of CLL cells in the renal interstitium.
The findings confirmed that CLL cells infiltrating the renal interstitium can directly secrete monoclonal immunoglobulins, indicating that the interstitial infiltrating CLL cells probably cause renal injuriy directly by secreting monoclonal immunoglobulins in situ. This finding may prove a new clue to elucidate the pathogenetic mechanism of renal injury involved with CLL/SLL .

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3
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