A new molecular tool could become a therapeutic option for acute myeloid leukemia.
According to a study published in the latest issue of Cell Stem Cell, preclinical studies conducted by a team from Children Cancer Institute Australia have demonstrated that CD123 molecule is over expressed in leukemia stem cells, whereas its expression in healthy cells is normal.
This molecule is part of the interleukin-3 receptor, a protein that interacts with a growth factor linked to survival and cell proliferation.
The creation of a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD 123 for attempting to interfere selectively in the survival of leukemia stem cells is the main innovation offered by the work coordinated by Richard Lock.
When tumor stem cells were transplanted into mice treated with the antibody, known as 7G3, cytokine signaling in cancer cells was blocked.
In addition, 7G3 inhibited the migration of leukemia stem cells in the marrow and activated the innate immune system of animals to destroy diseased cells.