Hairy cell leukemia pathophysiology

Pathophysiology of Hairy Cell Leukemia
Hairy cells are nearly mature, activated clonal cells with signs of VH gene differentiation. They may be related to memory cells.

While there are few genomic imbalances in the hairy cells, the expression of genes is dysregulated in a complex and specific pattern. The cells underexpress 3p24, 3p21, 3q13.3-q22, 4p16, 11q23, 14q22-q24, 15q21-q22, 15q24-q25, and 17q22-q24 and overexpress 13q31 and Xq13.3-q21. It has not yet been demonstrated that any of these changes have any practical significance to the patient.