Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia in Western countries and is an example of hematological disease where cooperation between genetic defects and tumor microenvironmental interaction is involved in pathogenesis. CLL is a disease that is considered as “addicted to the host”; indeed, the crosstalk between leukemic cells and the tumor microenvironment is essential for leukemic clone maintenance supporting CLL cells’ survival, proliferation, and protection from drug-induced apoptosis. CLL cells are not innocent bystanders but actively model and manipulate the surrounding microenvironment to their own advantage. Besides the different players involved in this crosstalk, nurse-like cells (NLC) resemble features related to leukemia-associated macrophages with an important function in preserving CLL cell survival and supporting an immunosuppressive microenvironment. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the role played by NLC in creating a nurturing and permissive milieu for CLL cells, illustrating the therapeutic possibilities in order to specifically target and re-educate them.

中文翻译：

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护士样细胞和慢性淋巴细胞白血病 B 细胞：组织微环境内的相互干扰

慢性淋巴细胞白血病 (CLL) 是西方国家最常见的成人白血病，是血液病的一个例子，其中遗传缺陷和肿瘤微环境相互作用之间的合作参与了发病机制。CLL是一种被认为是“宿主上瘾”的疾病；事实上，白血病细胞和肿瘤微环境之间的串扰对于白血病克隆维持至关重要，支持 CLL 细胞的存活、增殖和保护免受药物诱导的细胞凋亡。CLL 细胞不是无辜的旁观者，而是积极地模拟和操纵周围的微环境，为自己谋利。除了参与这个串扰的不同玩家，护士样细胞 (NLC) 类似于与白血病相关的巨噬细胞相关的特征，在保护 CLL 细胞存活和支持免疫抑制微环境方面具有重要作用。这篇综述全面概述了 NLC 在为 CLL 细胞创造一个培育和宽容的环境方面所发挥的作用，说明了治疗的可能性，以便专门针对和再教育它们。