Bacterial translocation in acute lymphocytic leukemia

Bloodstream infection (BSI) is the major cause of mortality in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Causative pathogens in BSI originate from the gut microbiota due to an increase in intestinal permeability, a process known as bacterial translocation (BT). The gut microbiota in physiological conditions is controlled by a large number of immune cells as part of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT).The aim of the current study was to investigate the mechanism of bacterial translocation in leukemia by identifying and characterizing alterations in the GALT in leukemic mouse model. Our studies revealed a severe impairment of the GALT characterized by a loss of lymphatic cells in ALL, which eventually led to BSI. We identified differentially expressed genes in the intraepithelium and the lamina propria, which may contribute to BT and to the impairment of lymphocyte migration.