The journal Nature Medicine has published a study that described for the first time oncogenic mechanisms caused by alterations in the gene TLX1 in T cell progenitors in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Specifically, researchers have found chromosomal abnormalities in mitosis control mechanisms. The research has the participation of Xavier Solé, researcher of Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and of the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO).
T cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia is an aggressive blood cancer resulting from the malignant transformation of T cell progenitors. This cancer accounts for between 5% and 10% of childhood leukaemias and up to 30% of adults’.
Researchers have used various techniques of genetic analysis to study cell transformation induced in experimental transgenic mouse models expressing aberrant gene so TLX1.
52 weeks after, 92% of the animals studied had developed T cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. The tumours had a high level of heterogeneity immuno-phenotypic level.
The IDIBELL-ICO researcher Xavier Solé has worked on bioinformatics analysis. “The research findings represent an important step in understanding the mechanisms behind TLX1 gene overexpression in T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia,” says the researcher, but, he concludes, “now further studies are needed before applying this knowledge to clinical practice.”
Article reference
Kim De Keersmaecker, Pedro J Real, Giusy Della Gatta, Teresa Palomero, Maria Luisa Sulis, Valeria Tosello, Pieter Van Vlierberghe, Kelly Barnes, Mireia Castillo, Xavier Sole*, Michael Hadler, Jack Lenz, Peter D Aplan, Michelle Kelliher, Barbara L Kee, Pier Paolo Pandolfi, Dietmar Kappes, Fotini Gounari, Howard Petrie, Joni Van der Meulen, Frank Speleman, Elisabeth Paietta, Janis Racevskis, Peter H Wiernik, Jacob M Rowe, Jean Soulier, David Avran, Hélène Cavé,Nicole Dastugue, Susana Raimondi, Jules P P Meijerink, Carlos Cordon-Cardo, Andrea Califano & Adolfo A Ferrando. The TLX1 oncogene drives aneuploidy in T cell transformation. Published online 24 October 2010; doi:10.1038/nm.2246
*Investigador IDIBELL