Figure 1.

Exogenous activation of T cells increases miR-181b, miR-181a, and miR-130a expression levels in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) cells. (A–C) Relative gene expression values in purified CLL cells co-cultured with activated vs. non-activated T cells. Purified CLL cells were mixed with either non-activated or activated (by anti-CD2, -CD3, -CD28 antibodies) T cells (CD4+) from healthy donors (HD) at a T/B ratio of 1:1. After 4 and 24 h CLL were re-purified and assayed for gene expression. (D–F) Relative gene expression values in purified CLL cells isolated from activated or non-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CLL patients. PBMC were activated as described above and then cultured for an additional 24 or 48 h. Relative expression values were determined by RT-qPCR; miRNAs data were normalized to the endogenous references RNU44 with the 2^−Δct method. For each patient, the relative expression of miRNAs was normalized to the level of non-activated sample. Data are presented as means ± SEM and technical replicates are shown for each sample as black dots (●). p-values were calculated using Wilcoxon test in activated vs. non-activated CLL cells.