Decreased NOTCH1 Activation Correlates with Response to Ibrutinib in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Purpose: Ibrutinib, a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi), has improved the outcomes of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but primary resistance or relapse are issues of increasing significance. While the predominant mechanism of action of BTKi is the B-cell receptor (BCR) blockade, many off-target effects are unknown. We investigated potential interactions between BCR pathway and NOTCH1 activity in ibrutinib-treated CLL to identify new mechanisms of therapy resistance and markers to monitor disease response.

NOTCH and Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

In allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which is the major curative therapy for hematological malignancies, T cells play a key role in the development of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). NOTCH pathway is a conserved signal transduction system that regulates T cell development and differentiation. The present review analyses the role of the NOTCH signaling as a new regulator of acute GvHD.

NOTCH1 Is Aberrantly Activated in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

To investigate chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)-initiating cells, we assessed mutation/expression in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). In mutated CLL, we detected subclonal mutations in 57% CD34+/CD38- HSCs. mutation was present in 66% CD34+/CD38+ progenitor cells displaying an increased mutational burden compared to HSCs.

Bepridil exhibits anti-leukemic activity associated with NOTCH1 pathway inhibition in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Dysregulated NOTCH1 signaling, by either gene mutations or microenvironment interactions, has been increasingly linked to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Thus, inhibiting NOTCH1 activity represents a potential therapeutic opportunity for this disease. Using gene expression-based screening, we identified the calcium channel modulator bepridil as a new NOTCH1 pathway inhibitor.

Does Locoregional Chemotherapy Still Matter in the Treatment of Advanced Pelvic Melanoma?

Pelvic Melanoma relapse occurs in 15% of patients with loco regional metastases, and 25% of cases do not respond to new target-therapy and/or immunotherapy. Melphalan hypoxic pelvic perfusion may, therefore, be an option for these non-responsive patients. Overall median survival time (MST), stratified for variables, including BRAF V600E mutation and eligibility for treatments with new immunotherapy drugs, was retrospectively assessed in 41 patients with pelvic melanoma loco regional metastases.

Treg-protected donor lymphocyte infusions: a new tool to address the graft-versus-leukemia effect in the absence of graft-versus-host disease in patients relapsed after HSCT.

In high-risk acute leukemia patients undergoing haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), adoptive immunotherapy with T regulatory cells (Tregs) and T conventional cells (Tcons) prevented acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), favored post-transplant immunological reconstitution and was associated with a powerful graft-versus-leukemia (GvL) effect. With a particularly innovative approach, we developed a treatment with a Treg-protected donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) for patients with early relapse after HSCT and we report here the results obtained in the first patient with APL (M3v) relapsed after a second matched allogeneic HSCT (15% blasts and 75% of donor cells in bone marrow). The patient received a first infusion of 2.

A novel, non-canonical splice variant of the Ikaros gene is aberrantly expressed in B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.

The Ikaros gene encodes a Krüppel-like zinc-finger transcription factor involved in hematopoiesis regulation. Ikaros has been established as one of the most clinically relevant tumor suppressors in several hematological malignancies. In fact, expression of dominant negative Ikaros isoforms is associated with adult B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukemia and adult and juvenile chronic myeloid leukemia.