lymphoblastic leukemia

In a recently published study the investigators revealed a crosstalk between two oncogenic pathways, involved in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leekemia (T-ALL): the protein kinase CK2 physically interacts with the interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) and is indispensable for optimal signal transduction mediated by IL-7 binding to IL-7R in T-ALL cells. In the absence of CK2 activation, IL-7 is no longer able to mediate viability, cell cycle progression, and proliferation. Pharmacological inhibitors of CK2 may have a broad impact against T-ALL.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological malignancy in which the transformed clone is arrested during T-cell development. Despite significant improvements in treatment outcome, survivors tend to face long term complications and develop serious secondary health problems. Therefore, the current challenge is to develop more efficient therapeutic strategies that target the leukemia cells in a more specific way, diminishing the toxic effects of the treatment.