Single Cell analysis reveals immune dysfunction from the earliest stages of CLL that can be reversed by ibrutinib

We applied single cell RNA sequencing to broadly characterize circulating immune cells co-existing with leukemic cells during natural chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) progression. We used peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients diagnosed from monoclonal B-lymphocytosis (MBL) and CLL at different time-points, and age-matched healthy donors (HDs). We analyzed the differences in cell type proportions and immune cell states between MBL/CLL patients and HDs and over time.