scholarly journals An update of current treatments for adult acute myeloid leukemia

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hervé Dombret ◽  
Claude Gardin

Abstract Recent advances in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) biology and its genetic landscape should ultimately lead to more subset-specific AML therapies, ideally tailored to each patient's disease. Although a growing number of distinct AML subsets have been increasingly characterized, patient management has remained disappointingly uniform. If one excludes acute promyelocytic leukemia, current AML management still relies largely on intensive chemotherapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), at least in younger patients who can tolerate such intensive treatments. Nevertheless, progress has been made, notably in terms of standard drug dose intensification and safer allogeneic HSCT procedures, allowing a larger proportion of patients to achieve durable remission. In addition, improved identification of patients at relatively low risk of relapse should limit their undue exposure to the risks of HSCT in first remission. The role of new effective agents, such as purine analogs or gemtuzumab ozogamicin, is still under investigation, whereas promising new targeted agents are under clinical development. In contrast, minimal advances have been made for patients unable to tolerate intensive treatment, mostly representing older patients. The availability of hypomethylating agents likely represents an encouraging first step for this latter population, and it is hoped will allow for more efficient combinations with novel agents.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 2050313X2110155
Author(s):  
Sachio Fujita ◽  
Ryosuke Matsuno ◽  
Naoko Kawabata ◽  
Yumiko Sugishita ◽  
Ryota Kaneko ◽  
...  

Limited salvage chemotherapies are available for relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia. Herein, we described successful reinduction chemotherapy, involving a combination of clofarabine, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide, in a 12-year-old male with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia prior to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from his father. Although treatment with a combination of fludarabine, cytarabine, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, idarubicin, and gemtuzumab ozogamicin had no positive effects, the aforementioned clofarabine-based chemotherapy induced complete remission and allowed the transplantation to go ahead. The abovementioned regimen may be useful for induction chemotherapy prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for refractory/relapsed acute myeloid leukemia.


Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda G Davis ◽  
Daniel T. Johnson ◽  
Dinghai Zheng ◽  
Ruijia Wang ◽  
Nathan D. Jayne ◽  
...  

Post-transcriptional regulation has emerged as a driver for leukemia development and an avenue for therapeutic targeting. Among post-transcriptional processes, alternative polyadenylation (APA) is globally dysregulated across cancer types. However, limited studies have focused on the prevalence and role of APA in myeloid leukemia. Furthermore, it is poorly understood how altered poly(A) site (PAS) usage of individual genes contributes to malignancy or whether targeting global APA patterns might alter oncogenic potential. In this study, we examined global APA dysregulation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients by performing 3' Region Extraction And Deep Sequencing (3'READS) on a subset of AML patient samples along with healthy hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and by analyzing publicly available data from a broad AML patient cohort. We show that patient cells exhibit global 3' untranslated region (UTR) shortening and coding sequence (CDS) lengthening due to differences in PAS usage. Among APA regulators, expression of FIP1L1, one of the core cleavage and polyadenylation factors, correlated with the degree of APA dysregulation in our 3'READS dataset. Targeting global APA by FIP1L1 knockdown reversed the global trends seen in patients. Importantly, FIP1L1 knockdown induced differentiation of t(8;21) cells by promoting 3'UTR lengthening and downregulation of the fusion oncoprotein AML1-ETO. In non-t(8;21) cells, FIP1L1 knockdown also promoted differentiation by attenuating mTORC1 signaling and reducing MYC protein levels. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the role of APA in AML pathogenesis and indicates that targeting global APA patterns can overcome the differentiation block of AML patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 1835-1835
Author(s):  
Fenghua Qian ◽  
Fenghua Qian ◽  
Diwakar Tukaramrao ◽  
Jiayan Zhou ◽  
Nicole Palmiero ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives The relapse of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a significant concern due to persistent leukemia stem cells (LSCs) that are not targeted by existing therapies. LSCs show sensitivity to endogenous cyclopentenone prostaglandin J (CyPG) metabolites that are increased by dietary trace element selenium (Se), which is significantly decreased in AML patients. We investigated the anti-leukemic effect of Se supplementation in AML via mechanisms involving the activation of the membrane-bound G-protein coupled receptor 44 (Gpr44) and the intracellular receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), by endogenous CyPGs. Methods A murine model of AML generated by transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs- WT or Gpr44−/−) expressing human MLL-AF9 fusion oncoprotein, in the following experiments: To investigate the effect of Se supplementation on the outcome of AML, donor mice were maintained on either Se-adequate (Se-A; 0.08–0.1 ppm Se) or Se-supplemented (Se-S; 0.4 ppm Se) diets. Complete cell counts in peripheral blood were analyzed by hemavet. LSCs in bone marrow and spleen were analyzed by flow cytometry. To determine the role of Gpr44 activation in AML, mice were treated with Gpr44 agonists, CyPGs. LSCs in bone marrow and spleen were analyzed. Mice transplanted with Gpr44−/- AML cells were compared with mice transplanted with wild type AML cells and the progression of the disease was followed as above. To determine the role of PPARγ activation in AML, PPARγ agonist (Rosiglitazone, 6 mg/kg, i.p, 14 d) and antagonist (GW9662, 1 mg/kg, i.p. once every other day, 7 injections) were applied to Se-S mice transplanted with Gpr44−/- AML cells and disease progression was followed. Results Se supplementation at supraphysiological levels alleviated the disease via the elimination of LSCs in a murine model of AML. CyPGs induced by Se supplementation mediate the apoptosis in LSCs via the activation of Gpr44 and PPARγ. Conclusions Endogenous CyPGs produced upon supplementation with Se at supraphysiological levels improved the outcome of AML by targeting LSCs to apoptosis via the activation of two receptors, Gpr44 and PPARg. Funding Sources NIH DK 07,7152; CA 175,576; CA 162,665. Office of Dietary Supplements, USDA Hatch funds PEN04605, Accession # 1,010,021 (KSP, RFP).


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.


Hematology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 (1) ◽  
pp. 220-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Levis

Abstract Patients with acute myeloid leukemia who harbor an FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) mutation present several dilemmas for the clinician. The results of an FLT3 mutation test, which can be influenced by several variables, need to be interpreted according to the clinical setting and there is a need for internationally standardized FLT3 mutation assays. Because of the lack of prospective studies, the role of allogeneic transplantation as consolidation therapy is still somewhat controversial, but the preponderance of evidence suggests that transplantation in first remission, if possible, is probably the best option. Clinically useful FLT3 inhibitors are hopefully on the near horizon and are being studied in the context of current treatment paradigms.


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