We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Experimental Drug Blocks Leukemia Growth in Mouse Model System

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 14 Mar 2016
Print article
Image: Mouse spleens that were infiltrated by TAL-1-positive T-ALL leukemia cells taken from human patients, with leukemia cells shown in brown. Images on the right are from mice treated with GSK-J4, while the mice on the left were not treated with the compound (Photo courtesy of Dr. Aissa Benyoucef, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute).
Image: Mouse spleens that were infiltrated by TAL-1-positive T-ALL leukemia cells taken from human patients, with leukemia cells shown in brown. Images on the right are from mice treated with GSK-J4, while the mice on the left were not treated with the compound (Photo courtesy of Dr. Aissa Benyoucef, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute).
An experimental drug that blocks the activity of a specific histone demethylase enzyme was found to cure the TAL-1 form of acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) in a mouse model system.

T-ALL afflicts mostly children, with more than 500 new pediatric diagnoses in the United States annually. The leukemia, which occurs in a child's developing T-cells, is fatal in about 1 in 4 cases. In the remaining patients with the disease, T-ALL requires intense levels of chemotherapy or radiation.

Investigators at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (Canada; www.ohri.ca) concentrated their efforts on a particular subgroup of T-ALL characterized by expression of the oncogenic transcription factor TAL-1.

They reported in the March 1, 2016, issue of the journal Genes & Development that this subtype of T-ALL was uniquely sensitive to variations in the dosage and activity of the histone 3 Lys27 (H3K27) demethylase enzyme UTX (ubiquitously transcribed tetratricopeptide repeat, X chromosome).

The investigators used a model system in which human T-ALL cells were transplanted into mice. Some of the animals were treated with the experimental drug GSK-J4, which is a potent cell-permeable inhibitor of the histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylase JMJD3, an essential component of regulatory transcriptional chromatin complexes. They found that this drug blocked UTX activity and stopped the growth of TAL-1 type cancer cells. After three weeks of treatment the number of cancer cells in the bone marrow decreased by 80%, and the drug did not seem to harm normal cells or have any short-term effects on other organs of the body. The treatment was specific for the TAL-1 subtype, and did not prevent growth of any other types of T-ALL.

"It is very exciting because this is the first time anyone has found a potential personalized treatment for this aggressive disease," said senior author Dr. Marjorie Brand, a senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. "Unlike current therapies, ours targets the offending gene without harming the rest of the body. Learning how a disease works at a molecular level needs to happen before any kind of successful drug can be developed. You need to do laboratory studies to find the right treatment and prove it works."

Related Links:

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute


Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
HLX
Complement 3 (C3) Test
GPP-100 C3 Kit
New
Gold Member
TORCH Panel Rapid Test
Rapid TORCH Panel Test

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: Reaching speeds up to 6,000 RPM, this centrifuge forms the basis for a new type of inexpensive, POC biomedical test (Photo courtesy of Duke University)

POC Biomedical Test Spins Water Droplet Using Sound Waves for Cancer Detection

Exosomes, tiny cellular bioparticles carrying a specific set of proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, play a crucial role in cell communication and hold promise for non-invasive diagnostics.... Read more

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: MOF materials efficiently enrich cfDNA and cfRNA in blood through simple operational process (Photo courtesy of Science China Press)

Blood Circulating Nucleic Acid Enrichment Technique Enables Non-Invasive Liver Cancer Diagnosis

The ability to diagnose diseases early can significantly enhance the effectiveness of clinical treatments and improve survival rates. One promising approach for non-invasive early diagnosis is the use... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The low-cost portable device rapidly identifies chemotherapy patients at risk of sepsis (Photo courtesy of 52North Health)

POC Finger-Prick Blood Test Determines Risk of Neutropenic Sepsis in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Neutropenia, a decrease in neutrophils (a type of white blood cell crucial for fighting infections), is a frequent side effect of certain cancer treatments. This condition elevates the risk of infections,... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: The OvaCis Rapid Test discriminates benign from malignant epithelial ovarian cysts (Photo courtesy of INEX)

Intra-Operative POC Device Distinguishes Between Benign and Malignant Ovarian Cysts within 15 Minutes

Ovarian cysts represent a significant health issue for women globally, with up to 10% experiencing this condition at some point in their lives. These cysts form when fluid collects within a thin membrane... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.