We characterize the metabolic background in distinct Acute Myeloid Leukemias (AMLs), by comparing the metabolism of primary AML blasts isolated at diagnosis with that of normal hematopoietic maturing progenitors, using the Seahorse XF Agilent. Leukemic cells feature lower spare respiratory (SRC) and glycolytic capacities as compared to hematopoietic precursors (i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present study, we characterized the metabolic background of different Acute Myeloid Leukemias' (AMLs) cells and described a heterogeneous and highly flexible energetic metabolism. Using the Seahorse XF Agilent, we compared the metabolism of normal hematopoietic progenitors with that of primary AML blasts and five different AML cell lines. We assessed the efficacy and mechanism of action of the association of high doses of ascorbate, a powerful oxidant, with the metabolic inhibitor buformin, which inhibits mitochondrial complex I and completely shuts down mitochondrial contributions in ATP production.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMediterr J Hematol Infect Dis
November 2020
Breakpoint cluster region - Abelson (BCR-ABL1) chimeric protein and mutated Nucleophosmin (NPM1) are often present in hematological cancers, but they rarely coexist in the same disease. Both anomalies are considered founder mutations that inhibit differentiation and apoptosis, but BCR-ABL1 could act as a secondary mutation conferring a proliferative advantage to a pre-neoplastic clone. The 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) classification lists the provisional acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with BCR-ABL1, which must be diagnosed differentially from the rare blast phase (BP) onset of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), mainly because of the different therapeutic approach in the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a hematological disease characterized by a balanced reciprocal translocation that leads to the synthesis of the oncogenic fusion protein PML-RARα. APL is mainly managed by a differentiation therapy based on the administration of all- retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO). However, therapy resistance, differentiation syndrome, and relapses require the development of new low-toxicity therapies based on the induction of blasts differentiation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHematol Oncol Stem Cell Ther
June 2021
FGFR-TACC, found in different tumor types, is characterized by the fusion of a member of fibroblast grown factor receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase (TK) family to a member of the transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) proteins. Because chromosome numerical alterations, hallmarks of FGFR-TACC fusions are present in many hematological disorders and there are no data on the prevalence, we studied a series of patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome who presented numerical alterations using cytogenetic traditional analysis. None of the analyzed samples showed FGFR3-TACC3 gene fusion, so screening for this mutation at diagnosis is not recommended.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNRF2 (NF-E2 p45-related factor 2) orchestrates cellular adaptive responses to stress. Its quantity and subcellular location is controlled through a complex network and its activity increases during redox perturbation, inflammation, growth factor stimulation, and energy fluxes. Even before all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) treatment era it was a common experience that acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells are highly sensitive to first line chemotherapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis review highlights new findings that have deepened our understanding of the mechanisms of leukemogenesis, therapy and resistance in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor α (PML-RARa) sets the cellular landscape of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) by repressing the transcription of RARa target genes and disrupting PML-NBs. The RAR receptors control the homeostasis of tissue growth, modeling and regeneration, and PML-NBs are involved in self-renewal of normal and cancer stem cells, DNA damage response, senescence and stress response.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEssential for cell survival, the 90 kD Heat Shock Proteins (HSP90) are molecular chaperons required for conformational stabilization and trafficking of numerous client proteins. Functional HSP90 is required for the stability of AKT, a serine-threonine kinase phosphorylated in response to growth factor stimulation. AKT plays a crucial regulatory role in differentiation, cell cycle, transcription, translation, metabolism and apoptosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFForkhead box (FOX) genes encode transcription factors, which regulate embryogenesis and play an important role in hematopoietic differentiation and in mesenchymal niche maintenance. Overexpression of the family member FOXC1 has been reported in solid tumors and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We studied FOXC1 expression and function in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and normal hematopoietic progenitors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRetinoic acid (RA) in association with chemotherapy or with arsenic trioxide (ATO) results in high cure rates of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). We show that RA-induced differentiation of human leukemic cell lines and primary blasts dramatically increases their sensitivity to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-inducing drugs at doses that are not toxic in the absence of RA. In addition, we demonstrate that the PERK pathway, triggered in response to ER stress, has a major protective role.
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