Deciphering the chromatin accessibility landscape in T-prolymphocytic leukemia
T-prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a rare but aggressive mature T-cell leukemia, affecting approximately 2 individuals per million each year. Despite its rarity, T-PLL is the most common mature T-cell leukemia in Western countries. Currently, there are no FDA or EMA-approved treatments for T-PLL. The CD52-antibody alemtuzumab, though commonly used, only provides temporary remission, with most patients relapsing within seven months. Besides the T-PLL-hallmark mutations affecting TCL1A, ATM, and genes of the JAK/STAT pathway, mutations in epigenetic modifiers such as EZH2, TET2, and KMTs are regularly observed in T-PLL. Notably, in our preliminary data set of ATAC-sequencing, we identified a T-PLL-specific chromatin accessibility profile. We aim to further characterize these profiles by examining the underlying determinants and validating regions with differential accessibility that drive the disease. This comprehensive approach aims to uncover new molecular targets and improve diagnostic accuracy, paving the way for more effective and specific treatment strategies for T-PLL.