Targeting Dormant Leukaemia Cells

The promyelocytic leukaemia protein (PML) tumour suppressor is known to be involved in the development of some forms of leukaemia. Pier Paolo Pandolfi and colleagues identify a new and unexpected role for PML in the maintenance of both haematopoietic stem cells and leukaemia-initiating cells. They demonstrate, in mice, that targeting the protein with arsenic trioxide eliminates the cancer-initiating cells, thought to be resistant to chemotherapy and other therapies.

The team believes that their results present a new pharmacological approach to target cells that are missed by other therapies and therefore lead to disease relapse.

Author contact:

Pier Paolo Pandolfi (Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA)
E-mail: ppandolf@bidmc.harvard.edu

Abstract available online.

(C) Nature press release.

Message posted by: Trevor M. D'Souza