Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Hematology ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis J. Giles ◽  
Armand Keating ◽  
Anthony H. Goldstone ◽  
Irit Avivi ◽  
Cheryl L. Willman ◽  
...  

Abstract In this chapter, Drs. Keating and Willman review recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and allied conditions, including the advanced myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), while Drs. Goldstone, Avivi, Giles, and Kantarjian focus on therapeutic data with an emphasis on current patient care and future research studies. In Section I, Dr. Armand Keating reviews the role of the hematopoietic microenvironment in the initiation and progression of leukemia. He also discusses recent data on the stromal, or nonhematopoietic, marrow mesenchymal cell population and its possible role in AML. In Section II, Drs. Anthony Goldstone and Irit Avivi review the current role of stem cell transplantation as therapy for AML and MDS. They focus on data generated on recent Medical Research Council studies and promising investigation approaches. In Section III, Dr. Cheryl Willman reviews the current role of molecular genetics and gene expression analysis as tools to assist in AML disease classification systems, modeling of gene expression profiles associated with response or resistance to various interventions, and identifying novel therapeutic targets. In Section IV, Drs. Hagop Kantarjian and Francis Giles review some promising agents and strategies under investigation in the therapy of AML and MDS with an emphasis on novel delivery systems for cytotoxic therapy and on targeted biologic agents.

Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (12) ◽  
pp. 637
Author(s):  
Sergiu Pasca ◽  
Ancuta Jurj ◽  
Ciprian Tomuleasa ◽  
Mihnea Zdrenghea

Background and objectives: Mutational analysis has led to a better understanding of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) biology and to an improvement in clinical management. Some of the most important mutations that affect AML biology are represented by mutations in genes related to methylation, more specifically: TET2, IDH1, IDH2 and WT1. Because it has been shown in numerous studies that mutations in these genes lead to similar expression profiles and phenotypes in AML, we decided to assess if mutations in any of those genes interact with other genes important for AML. Materials and Methods: We downloaded the clinical data, mutational profile and expression profile from the TCGA LAML dataset via cBioPortal. Data were analyzed using classical statistical methods and functional enrichment analysis software represented by STRING and GOrilla. Results: The first step we took was to assess the 196 AML cases that had a mutational profile available and observe the mutations that overlapped with TET2/IDH1/2/WT1 mutations. We observed that RUNX1 mutations significantly overlap with TET2/IDH1/2/WT1 mutations. Because of this, we decided to further investigate the role of RUNX1 mutations in modulating the level of RUNX1 mRNA and observed that RUNX1 mutant cases presented higher levels of RUNX1 mRNA. Because there were only 16 cases of RUNX1 mutant samples and that mutations in this gene determined a change in mRNA expression, we further observed the correlation between RUNX1 and other mRNAs in subgroups regarding the presence of hypermethylating mutations and NPM1. Here, we observed that both TET2/IDH1/2/WT1 and NPM1 mutations increase the number of genes negatively correlated with RUNX1 and that these genes were significantly linked to myeloid activation. Conclusions: In the current study, we have shown that NPM1 and TET2/IDH1/2/WT1 mutations increase the number of negative correlations of RUNX1 with other transcripts involved in myeloid differentiation.


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (24) ◽  
pp. 2195-2208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Sasca ◽  
Haiyang Yun ◽  
George Giotopoulos ◽  
Jakub Szybinski ◽  
Theo Evan ◽  
...  

Cohesin mutations are common in myeloid malignancy. Sasca et al elucidate the potential role of cohesin loss in myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia (MDS/AML). They demonstrate that cohesin binding is critical for erythroid-specific gene expression and that reduction in cohesin impairs terminal erythroid maturation and promotes myeloid malignancy.


2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 570-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika Dufour ◽  
Friederike Schneider ◽  
Klaus H. Metzeler ◽  
Eva Hoster ◽  
Stephanie Schneider ◽  
...  

Purpose CEBPA mutations are found as either biallelic (biCEBPA) or monoallelic (moCEBPA). We set out to explore whether the kind of CEBPA mutation is of prognostic relevance in cytogenetically normal (CN) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Patients and Methods Four hundred sixty-seven homogeneously treated patients with CN-AML were subdivided into moCEBPA, biCEBPA, and wild-type (wt) CEBPA patients. The subgroups were analyzed for clinical parameters and for additional mutations in the NPM1, FLT3, and MLL genes. Furthermore, we obtained gene expression profiles using oligonucleotide microarrays. Results Only patients with biCEBPA had an improved median overall survival when compared with patients with wtCEBPA (not reached v 20.4 months, respectively; P = .018), whereas patients with moCEBPA (20.9 months) and wtCEBPA had a similar outcome (P = .506). Multivariable analysis confirmed biCEBPA, but not moCEBPA, mutations as an independent favorable prognostic factor. Interestingly, biCEBPA mutations, compared with wtCEBPA, were never associated with mutated NPM1 (0% v 43%, respectively; P < .001) and rarely associated with FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD; 5% v 23%, respectively; P = .059), whereas patients with moCEBPA had a similar frequency of mutated NPM1 and a significantly higher association with FLT3-ITD compared with patients with wtCEBPA (44% v 23%, respectively; P = .037). Furthermore, patients with biCEBPA showed a homogeneous gene expression profile that was characterized by downregulation of HOX genes, whereas patients with moCEBPA showed greater heterogeneity in their gene expression profiles. Conclusion Biallelic disruption of the N and C terminus of CEBPA is required for the favorable clinical outcome of CEBPA-mutated patients and represents a distinct molecular subtype of CN-AML with a different frequency of associated gene mutations. These findings are of great significance for risk-adapted therapeutic strategies in AML.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 683-683
Author(s):  
Christopher Y. Park ◽  
Yoon-Chi Han ◽  
Govind Bhagat ◽  
Jian-Bing Fan ◽  
Irving L Weissman ◽  
...  

Abstract microRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-protein encoding RNAs that bind to the 3′UTR’s of target mRNAs and negatively regulate gene expression by facilitating mRNA degradation or translational inhibition. Aberrant miRNA expression is well-documented in both solid and hematopoietic malignancies, and a number of recent miRNA profiling studies have identified miRNAs associated with specific human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cytogenetic groups as well as miRNAs that may prognosticate clinical outcomes in AML patients. Unfortunately, these studies do not directly address the functional role of miRNAs in AML. In fact, there is no direct functional evidence that miRNAs are required for AML development or maintenance. Herein, we report on our recent efforts to elucidate the role of miRNAs in AML stem cells. miRNA expression profiling of AML stem cells and their normal counterparts, hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and committed progenitors, reveals that miR-29a is highly expressed in human hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and human AML relative to normal committed progenitors. Ectopic expression of miR-29a in mouse HSC/progenitors is sufficient to induce a myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) that progresses to AML. During the MPD phase of the disease, miR-29a alters the composition of committed myeloid progenitors, significantly expedites cell cycle progression, and promotes proliferation of hematopoietic progenitors at the level of the multipotent progenitor (MPP). These changes are manifested pathologically by marked granulocytic and megakaryocytic hyperplasia with hepatosplenomegaly. Mice with miR-29a-induced MPD uniformly progress to an AML that contains a leukemia stem cell (LSC) population that can serially transplant disease with as few as 20 purified LSC. Gene expression analysis reveals multiple tumor suppressors and cell cycle regulators downregulated in miR-29a expressing cells compared to wild type. We have demonstrated that one of these genes, Hbp1, is a bona fide miR-29a target, but knockdown of Hbp1 in vivo does not recapitulate the miR-29a phenotype. These data indicate that additional genes are required for miR-29a’s leukemogenic activity. In summary, our data demonstrate that miR-29a regulates early events in normal hematopoiesis and promotes myeloid differentiation and expansion. Moreover, they establish that misexpression of a single miRNA is sufficient to drive leukemogenesis, suggesting that therapeutic targeting of miRNAs may be an effective means of treating myeloid leukemias.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 3471-3471
Author(s):  
Brian Balgobind ◽  
C. Michel Zwaan ◽  
Susan T.C.J.M. Arentsen-Peters ◽  
Dirk Reinhardt ◽  
Ursula Creutzig ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 3471 Poster Board III-359 One important cytogenetic subgroup of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by translocations of chromosome 11q23, which accounts for 15 to 20% of all cases with an evaluable chromosome analysis. In most of these cases, the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene is involved. More than 50 fusion translocation partners of the MLL gene have been identified and outcome differs by translocation partner, suggesting differences in the biological background. So far these biological differences have not been unravelled. Therefore, we investigated the gene expression profiles of MLL-rearranged subgroups in pediatric AML in order to discover and identify the role of differentially expressed genes. Affymetrix Human Genome U133 plus 2.0 microarrays were used to generate gene expression profiles of 257 pediatric AML cases, which included 21 pediatric AML cases with t(9;11)(p22;q23) and 33 with other MLL-rearrangements. With these profiles, we were able to identify a specific gene expression signature for t(9;11)(p22;q23) using an empirical Bayes linear regression model (Bioconductor package: Limma). This signature was mainly determined by overexpression of the BRE (brain and reproductive organ-expressed) gene. The mean average VSN normalized expression for BRE in the t(9;11)(p22;q23) subgroup was 3.7-fold higher compared with that in other MLL-rearranged cases (p<0.001). Validation by RQ-PCR confirmed this higher expression in t(9;11)(p22;q23) cases (p<0.001). In addition, we confirmed that overexpression of BRE was predominantly found in t(9;11)(p22;q23) in an independent gene expression profile cohort (Ross et al, Blood 2002). Remarkably, MLL-rearranged cases with a BRE expression higher than the mean expression showed a significant better 3 year disease free survival than MLL-rearranged cases with a lower expression (80±13% vs. 30±10%, p=0.02). Previously, overexpression of BRE has been described in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) (Chang et al., Oncogene 2008) and an anti-apoptotic effect was described. We transfected BRE in the monomac-1 cell line, which harbors a t(9;11)(p22;q23). We did not find a proliferative advantage for BRE overexpression using a BrDU-assay nor changes in drug sensitivity, indicating that the anti-apoptotic effect as described for HCC in vivo could not be confirmed in vitro in AML. In conclusion, overexpression of the BRE gene is predominantly involved in pediatric MLL-rearranged AML with t(9;11)(p22;q23). Moreover, high expression of BRE showed a favorable prognosis. We did not find any influence of BRE expression on cell proliferation or apoptosis in vitro. This indicates that further studies involving the role of the MLL-fusion protein on BRE transcription are necessary to unravel the leukemogenic role in pediatric AML. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 91-91
Author(s):  
Nicolas Goardon ◽  
Emmanuele Marchi ◽  
Lynn Quek ◽  
Anna Schuh ◽  
Petter Woll ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 91 In normal and leukemic hemopoiesis, stem cells differentiate through intermediate progenitors into terminal cells. In human Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), there is uncertainty about: (i) whether there is more than one leukemic stem cell (LSC) population in any one individual patient; (ii) how homogeneous AML LSCs populations are at a molecular and cellular level and (iii) the relationship between AML LSCs and normal stem/progenitor populations. Answers to these questions will clarify the molecular pathways important in the stepwise transformation of normal HSCs/progenitors. We have studied 82 primary human CD34+ AML samples (spanning a range of FAB subtypes, cytogenetic categories and FLT3 and NPM1 mutation states) and 8 age-matched control marrow samples. In ∼80% of AML cases, two expanded populations with hemopoietic progenitor immunophenotype coexist in most patients. One population is CD34+CD38-CD90-CD45RA+ (CD38-CD45RA+) and the other CD34+CD38+CD110-CD45RA+ (GMP-like). Both populations from 7/8 patients have leukemic stem cell (LSC) activity in primary and secondary xenograft assays with no LSC activity in CD34- compartment. The two CD34+ LSC populations are hierarchically ordered, with CD38-CD45RA+ LSC giving rise to CD38+CD45RA+ LSC in vivo and in vitro. Limit dilution analysis shows that CD38-CD45RA+LSCs are more potent by 8–10 fold. From 18 patients, we isolated both CD38-CD45RA+ and GMP-like LSC populations. Global mRNA expression profiles of FACS-sorted CD38-CD45RA+ and GMP-like populations from the same patient allowed comparison of the two populations within each patient (negating the effect of genetic/epigenetic changes between patients). Using a paired t-test, 748 genes were differentially expressed between CD38-CD45RA+ and GMP-like LSCs and separated the two populations in most patients in 3D PCA. This was confirmed by independent quantitative measures of difference in gene expression using a non-parametric rank product analysis with a false discovery rate of 0.01. Thus, the two AML LSC populations are molecularly distinct. We then compared LSC profiles with those from 4 different adult marrow normal stem/progenitor cells to identify the normal stem/progenitor cell populations which the two AML LSC populations are most similar to at a molecular level. We first obtained a 2626 gene set by ANOVA, that maximally distinguished normal stem and progenitor populations. Next, the expression profiles of 22 CD38-CD45RA+ and 21 GMP-like AML LSC populations were distributed by 3D PCA using this ANOVA gene set. This showed that AML LSCs were most closely related to their normal counterpart progenitor population and not normal HSC. This data was confirmed quantitatively by a classifier analysis and hierarchical clustering. Taken together, the two LSC populations are hierarchically ordered, molecularly distinct and their gene expression profiles do not map most closely to normal HSCs but rather to their counterpart normal progenitor populations. Finally, as global expression profiles of CD38-CD45RA+ AML LSC resemble normal CD38-CD45RA+ cells, we defined the functional potential of these normal cells. This had not been previously determined. Using colony and limiting dilution liquid culture assays, we showed that single normal CD38-CD45RA+ cells have granulocyte and macrophage (GM), lymphoid (T and B cell) but not megakaryocyte-erythroid (MK-E) potential. Furthermore, gene expression studies on 10 cells showed that CD38-CD45RA+ cells express lymphoid and GM but not Mk-E genes. Taken together, normal CD38-CD45RA+ cells are most similar to mouse lymphoid primed multi-potential progenitor cells (LMPP) cells and distinct from the recently identified human Macrophage Lymphoid progenitor (MLP) population. In summary, for the first time, we show the co-existence of LMPP-like and GMP-like LSCs in CD34+ AML. Thus, CD34+ AML is a progenitor disease where LSCs have acquired abnormal self-renewal potential (Figure 1). Going forward, this work provides a platform for determining pathological LSCs self-renewal and tracking LSCs post treatment, both of which will impact on leukemia biology and therapy. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 3839-3839
Author(s):  
Emilia Carolina Malafaia ◽  
A. Mario Marcondes ◽  
Ekapun Karoopongse ◽  
Daniele Serehi ◽  
Maria de Lourdes L. F. Chauffaille ◽  
...  

Abstract TWIST1, a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, plays a critical role in mesodermal development and organogenesis. Overexpressed TWIST1 has been thoroughly related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in solid tumors (QIN Q et al., 2012) and has been described as an emerging risk factor in hematological neoplasms (MERINDOL et al., 2014). . Many questions remain to be addressed concerning to the role of TWIST1 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The understanding of TWIST1 in leukemia cells and its interaction with microenvironment can offer new insights in regards to disease biology and therapeutic targets for patients with AML. Objectives: 1) to evaluate the role of stroma contact and hypoxia in TWIST1 expression in myeloid cell lines. 2) To evaluate the functional impact of overexpressing TWIST1 on KG1a and PL21 cells. 3) To evaluate TWIST1 expression in primary cells of AML patients. Methods: In order to mimic bone marrow microenvironment, myeloid cells were co-cultured with mesenchymal HS5 cell line and PO2 1% was established with Smart -Trak¨ 2 (Sierra Instruments, Inc.) equipment. Quantitative mRNA was determined using TaqMan¨ Universal Master Mix (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) and 3-step standard cycling conditions with sequence-specific primer TWIST1 normalized to the expression of β-actin. KG1a and PL21 cells were transduced with lentivirus vector carrying e-GFP ("enhanced green fluorescence protein") for stable expression of TWIST1. Transduced cells were sorted by FITC fluorochrome and then verified through western blot analysis with TWIST1 antibody. For quantification of apoptosis, cells were labeled with PE-conjugated antibody using annexin V-phycoerythrin and propidium iodide (BD Biosciences, USA). DAPI (4',6- diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride) was used to stain DNA and determine cell cycle information . Apoptosis and cell cycle were analyzed by FACS -Becton Dickinson Canto II (BD Biosciences). Statistical analysis was assessed with unpaired t test. Results: Hypoxia induced TWIST1 mRNA expression in OCIAML3, PL21, KG1a and ML1 cell lines (fold-increased 46.3, 29.8, 12.9 and 2.3 respectively). Cells expressing endogenous TWIST1 protein (OCIAML3 and ML1) showed resistance to apoptosis in a hypoxic microenvironment (normoxia versus hypoxia: OCI/AML3, 22.6 % vs 11.7% and ML1, 29.8% vs. 7.5%) in contrast, cells not expressing endogenous TWIST1 protein (KG1a and PL21) went to apoptosis in the same conditions. Thus, overexpressing TWIST1 in KG1a and PL21 induced apoptosis protection in hypoxia (KG1a unmodified vs. modified: 17.6 ± 6.3 vs. 2.8 ± 6.3, p=0.04; PL21 unmodified vs. modified: 26.9 ± 10.9 vs. 3.2 ± 0.6, p=0.04) (fig 1). We found increased TWIST1 mRNA levels in bone marrow samples of 23 AML patients (3.88 ± 1.59) compared with 5 healthy controls (0.54 ±0.25) (p= 0.02) (fig 2). Patients in the highest tertile of TWIST1 expression did not show differences in percentage of blasts in bone marrow and complete remission after treatment compared with patients in low and middle tertile. Conclusion: Our data suggest TWIST1 gene expression protects acute myeloid leukemia cells from apoptosis in a hypoxic microenvironment. Moreover, our results showed increased expression of TWIST1 in AML patients. Thus, TWIST1 is a potential gene involved in leukemogenesis and should be further explored to understand disease biology and potential therapeutic targets. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (23) ◽  
pp. 4847-4858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunju Sridhar ◽  
Douglas T. Ross ◽  
Robert Tibshirani ◽  
Atul J. Butte ◽  
Peter L. Greenberg

AbstractMicroarray analysis with 40 000 cDNA gene chip arrays determined differential gene expression profiles (GEPs) in CD34+ marrow cells from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients compared with healthy persons. Using focused bioinformatics analyses, we found 1175 genes significantly differentially expressed by MDS versus normal, requiring a minimum of 39 genes to separately classify these patients. Major GEP differences were demonstrated between healthy and MDS patients and between several MDS subgroups: (1) those whose disease remained stable and those who subsequently transformed (tMDS) to acute myeloid leukemia; (2) between del(5q) and other MDS patients. A 6-gene “poor risk” signature was defined, which was associated with acute myeloid leukemia transformation and provided additive prognostic information for International Prognostic Scoring System Intermediate-1 patients. Overexpression of genes generating ribosomal proteins and for other signaling pathways was demonstrated in the tMDS patients. Comparison of del(5q) with the remaining MDS patients showed 1924 differentially expressed genes, with underexpression of 1014 genes, 11 of which were within the 5q31-32 commonly deleted region. These data demonstrated (1) GEPs distinguishing MDS patients from healthy and between those with differing clinical outcomes (tMDS vs those whose disease remained stable) and cytogenetics [eg, del(5q)]; and (2) molecular criteria refining prognostic categorization and associated biologic processes in MDS.


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