The mean percentage of CD3+/CD8+/CD152+ cells was also markedly elevated in B-CLL compared with controls before stimulation (P=0.0001) and after 24 h (P=0.0005), 48 h (P=0.0003), 72 h (P=0.02), 96 h (P=0.0001) and 120 h (P=0.0001) of stimulation (Table 3). Here, CTLA4 is linked to B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.