Impaired protein synthesis in leukemic hairy cells induced by splenectomy

A case of hairy-cell leukemia in which protein synthesis by the leukemic hairy cells could be followed-up before and after splenectomy is presented. After splenectomy a remarkable reduction of initially enhanced protein synthesis was found. This observation supports the view that the splenic microenvironment has an important influence on the proliferative activity of hairy cells.