Open AccessStem cell quest
Author(s) -
Irvine Alexandra
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of cell communication and signaling
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1873-961X
pISSN - 1873-9601
DOI - 10.1007/s12079-015-0279-5
Subject(s) - medicine , stem cell , chronic myeloid leukaemia , disease , tyrosine kinase , population , immunology , cancer research , bioinformatics , intensive care medicine , biology , receptor , genetics , environmental health
Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia has been a valuable model system for experimental haematologists for many years. Virtually all patients (>95 %) have the same genetic change which has driven the development of the first targeted therapies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Since the introduction of TKIs in 2000 it has become clear that this approach has significantly improved the outcome for these patients. Nevertheless drug resistance inevitably develops and it is clear that the disease is controlled rather than eradicated. The recent publication by Herrmann et al. has defined a sub‐population of leukaemic stem cells which are responsible for propagating the disease. CD26 now provides a new specific target for the malignant stem cells and offers the possibility of true curative therapy.