Profiling the B/T cell receptor repertoire of lymphocyte derived cell lines.

Background: Clonal VDJ rearrangement of B/T cell receptors (B/TCRs) occurring during B/T lymphocyte development has been used as a marker to track the clonality of B/T cell populations.

Methods: We systematically profiled the B/T cell receptor repertoire of 936 cancer cell lines across a variety of cancer types as well as 462 Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) transformed normal B lymphocyte lines using RNA sequencing data.

Results: Rearranged B/TCRs were readily detected in cell lines derived from lymphocytes, and subclonality or potential biclonality were found in a number of blood cancer cell lines.

Mutational profiling of acute lymphoblastic leukemia with testicular relapse.

Relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the leading cause of deaths of childhood cancer. Although relapse usually happens in the bone marrow, extramedullary relapse occasionally occurs including either the central nervous system or testis (<1-2%). We selected two pediatric ALL patients who experienced testicular relapse and interrogated their leukemic cells with exome sequencing.

Managing haematological disorders during pregnancy.

The management of patients with pre-existing haematological diseases during pregnancy can be particularly challenging. The potential maternal and foetal toxicities from treatment regimens including chemotherapy for malignant haematological disorders mean that joint management between obstetricians and haematologists is essential for achieving good outcomes for both mother and baby. Patients with inherited or acquired disorders of haemostasis including platelets (essential thrombocythaemia) and coagulation (antiphospholipid syndrome) resulting in a pro-thrombotic state also require special consideration as pregnancy is generally considered to be a pro-thrombotic condition which could exacerbate the pre-existing disorder.