Abstract
The idea that within the bulk of leukemic cells there are immature progenitors which are intrinsically resistant to chemotherapy and able to repopulate the tumor after treatment is not recent. Nevertheless, the term leukemia stem cells (LSCs) has been adopted recently to describe these immature progenitors based on the fact that they share the most relevant features of the normal hematopoetic stem cells (HSCs), i.e. the self-renewal potential and quiescent status. LSCs differ from their normal counterparts and from the more differentiated leukemic cells regarding the default status of pathways regulating apoptosis, cell cycle, telomere maintenance and transport pumps activity. In addition, unique features regarding the interaction of these cells with the microenvironment have been characterized. Therapeutic strategies targeting these unique features are at different stages of development but the reported results are promising. The aim of this review is, by taking acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a bona fide example, to discuss some of the mechanisms used by the LSCs to survive and the strategies which could be used to eradicate these cells.
Keywords: Leukemia stem cells, acute myeloid leukemia, bone marrow microenvironment
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Title: Targeting the Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells
Volume: 10 Issue: 2
Author(s): Alexandre Krause, Luciana M. Fontanari Krause and Eduardo M. Rego
Affiliation:
Keywords: Leukemia stem cells, acute myeloid leukemia, bone marrow microenvironment
Abstract: The idea that within the bulk of leukemic cells there are immature progenitors which are intrinsically resistant to chemotherapy and able to repopulate the tumor after treatment is not recent. Nevertheless, the term leukemia stem cells (LSCs) has been adopted recently to describe these immature progenitors based on the fact that they share the most relevant features of the normal hematopoetic stem cells (HSCs), i.e. the self-renewal potential and quiescent status. LSCs differ from their normal counterparts and from the more differentiated leukemic cells regarding the default status of pathways regulating apoptosis, cell cycle, telomere maintenance and transport pumps activity. In addition, unique features regarding the interaction of these cells with the microenvironment have been characterized. Therapeutic strategies targeting these unique features are at different stages of development but the reported results are promising. The aim of this review is, by taking acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a bona fide example, to discuss some of the mechanisms used by the LSCs to survive and the strategies which could be used to eradicate these cells.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Krause Alexandre, Fontanari Krause M. Luciana and Rego M. Eduardo, Targeting the Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells, Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2010; 10 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152010790909281
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152010790909281 |
Print ISSN 1871-5206 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5992 |
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Recent Clinical Trials of Cladribine in Hematological Malignancies and Autoimmune Disorders
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Viral Vectors in Cancer Immunotherapy: Which Vector for Which Strategy?
Current Gene Therapy Pharmacogenetics of Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients
Current Pharmacogenomics Recent Advances in Small Molecule Prodrugs for Cancer Therapy
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry The Role of Notch Signaling Pathway in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) During Development and Tumor Aggressiveness
Current Drug Targets Genetic Polymorphisms of Drug Metabolising Enzymes and Drug Transporters in Relation to Cancer Risk
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Talazoparib Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles: Preparation, Characterization and Evaluation of the Therapeutic Efficacy In vitro
Current Drug Delivery Nutrition in Infancy
Current Pediatric Reviews Targeting Stem Cells-Clinical Implications for Cancer Therapy
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy OX40:OX40L Axis: Emerging Targets for Immunotherapy of Human Disease
Current Immunology Reviews (Discontinued) Lipid Nucleoside Conjugates for the Treatment of Cancer
Current Pharmaceutical Design Self-Adjuvanting Lipopeptide Vaccines
Current Medicinal Chemistry Recent Developments Towards the Synthesis of Varitriol: An Antitumour Agent from Marine Derived Fungus Emericella Variecolor
Current Organic Synthesis Metabolism of the Endocannabinoids Anandamide and 2-Arachidonoyl Glycerol, A Review, with Emphasis on the Pharmacology of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase, A Possible Target for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Pain
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Central Nervous System Agents Patient Radiation Doses in Interventional Cardiology Procedures
Current Cardiology Reviews BCR/ABL1 Fusion Transcripts Generated from Alternative Splicing: Implications for Future Targeted Therapies in Ph+ Leukaemias
Current Molecular Medicine HLA-G Expression in Cancers: Potential Role in Diagnosis, Prognosis and Therapy
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets Design, Synthesis and Bioactivities of Phenylamino-Pyrimidine Derivatives as Novel Protein Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery Targeting Kinases in Cancer Therapies: Adverse Effects on Blood Platelets
Current Pharmaceutical Design Opportunities and Challenges for Host-Directed Therapies in Tuberculosis
Current Pharmaceutical Design