Interestingly, CLL cells also expressed ETBR on the cell surface (data not shown), even if at lower levels as compared to ETAR. Generally, ETB receptor activation operates in a counter-regulatory fashion to ETAR and leads to cell apoptosis, but in some cell types ETBR was reported to mediate cell survival. The gene discussed is EDNRB; the disease is B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.