| Full text | |
| Author(s): |
Silva, Ana
[1, 2]
;
Laranjeira, Angelo B. A.
[3]
;
Martins, Leila R.
[1]
;
Cardoso, Bruno A.
[1]
;
Demengeot, Jocelyne
[4]
;
Andres Yunes, J.
[3]
;
Seddon, Benedict
[2]
;
Barata, Joao T.
[1]
Total Authors: 8
|
| Affiliation: | [1] Fac Med Univer, Inst Mol Med, Lisbon - Portugal
[2] MRC Natl Inst Med Res, Div Immune Cell Biol, London - England
[3] Ctr Infantil Boldrini, Mol Biol Lab, Campinas, SP - Brazil
[4] Inst Gulbenkian Ciencias, Oeiras - Portugal
Total Affiliations: 4
|
| Document type: | Journal article |
| Source: | Cancer Research; v. 71, n. 14, p. 4780-4789, JUL 15 2011. |
| Web of Science Citations: | 57 |
| Abstract | |
The importance of microenvironmental factors for driving progression in leukemia has been debated. Previous evidence has pointed to interleukin-7 (IL-7), a fundamental cytokine to normal T-cell development and homeostasis, as an important determinant of the viability and proliferation of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells in vitro. In this study, we report that IL-7 is also a critical determinant of T-ALL progression. T-ALL cell lines and primary T-ALL samples initiated leukemia more slowly when engrafted to immunocompromised Rag2(-/-) IL2rg(-/-) mice lacking IL-7. This effect was not related to reduced engraftment or homing of transplanted cells to the bone marrow. Instead, IL-7 deficiency diminished expansion of leukemia cells in the bone marrow and delayed leukemia-associated death of transplanted mice. Moreover, infiltration of different organs by T-ALL cells, which characterizes patients with advanced disease, was more heterogeneous and generally less efficient in IL-7-deficient mice. Leukemia progression was associated with increased Bcl-2 expression and cell viability, reduced p27(Kip1) expression, and decreased cell-cycle progression. Clinical measurements of IL-7 plasma levels and IL-7 receptor (IL-7R) expression in T-ALL patients versus healthy controls confirmed that IL-7 stimulates human leukemia cells. Our results establish that IL-7 contributes to the progression of human T-cell leukemia, and they offer preclinical validation of the concept that targeting IL-7/IL-7R signaling in the tumor microenvironment could elicit therapeutic effects in T-ALL. Cancer Res; 71(14); 4780-9. (C) 2011 AACR. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 08/10034-1 - Bone marrow microenvironment and PI3K pathway in resistance to chemotherapy of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia |
| Grantee: | José Andrés Yunes |
| Support Opportunities: | Regular Research Grants |