As described in their Research Article, Meijerink and
colleagues studied genetic changes in leukemic cells from pediatric
T-ALL patients before treatment. The researchers found specific gene
mutations affecting signaling inside cells, involving the interleukin 7
receptor and downstream molecules, that were associated with steroid
resistance and adverse clinical outcome. Drugs designed to target
individual signaling proteins were able to restore steroid sensitivity
to primary leukemic cells from patients.
‘Inhibition of MEK-ERK or PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling could enhance steroid sensitivity in children with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and potentially improve patient outcomes.’
Discussing the research in an accompanying Perspective article,
Steven Goossens and Pieter Van Vlierberghe conclude that "inhibition of
MEK-ERK or PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling could enhance steroid sensitivity in
T-ALL and potentially improve patient outcomes, a notion that warrants
investigation in future prospective clinical trials."
Source: Eurekalert