摘要：SummaryWaldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is characterized by bone marrow infiltration with malignant lymphoplasmacytic cells (LPCs), a smaller population of plasma cells (PCs), and hypersecretion of IgM monoclonal protein. Here, we show that CD45low, CD38+, and CD138+PCs and CD45high, CD38−, CD138-, CD19+, and CD20+LPCs carry a heterozygous L265P mutation in the Toll-like receptor signaling adaptor MYD88. Both PCs and LPCs express the same auto-reactive IgHV sequences, suggesting a similar clonal origin and role for auto-antigens in WM cell survival. PCs are primarily responsible for IgM production even without substantial cell proliferation. When cultured in isolation, LPCs give rise to more differentiated PCs and secrete less IgM. Our analyses suggest that malignant PCs arise from the clonal LPC population, and are primarily responsible for IgM secretion in WM. Targeting malignant PCs may have therapeutic benefits in the treatment of WM and improve the duration of response and potentially, survival.Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•Clonal differentiation of malignant LPCs gives rise to PCs in WM•LPCs and PCs harbor MYD88 L265P mutation and express the same IgHV sequence•PCs are the major source of IgM in WMImmunology; Immune system disorder; Cell biology; Cancer
