Hematopoiesis News Volume 1.11 | Mar 30 2010

The Wnt/Beta-Catenin Pathway Is Required for the Development of Leukemia Stem Cells in AML
Researchers studied leukemia stem cells in mouse models of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) induced either by coexpression of the Hoxa9 and Meis1a oncogenes or by the fusion oncoprotein MLL-AF9. [Science]

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Study Finds Genes That Keep Watch on Blood Clotting Time
Scientists have discovered three genes, F12, HRG and KNG1, that could shed light on the genetic causes of blood-clotting disorders such as thrombosis and some types of stroke. [Press release from EurekAlert! discussing the online prepublication in American Journal of Human Genetics]

Blood Flow in the Brain Can Now Be Measured in Real Time
Thanks to new technology developed by researchers in Lund, it has for the first time become possible to measure blood flow in the brain directly and continuously. [Lund University Press Release]

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LABORATORY RESEARCH 

Induction of Lymphoidlike Stroma and Immune Escape by Tumors That Express the Chemokine CCL21
Researchers suggest that by altering the tumor microenvironment, CCL21-secreting tumors shift the host immune response from immunogenic to tolerogenic, thereby facilitating tumor progression. [Science]

Fate Mapping Reveals Separate Origins of T Cells and Myeloid Lineages in the Thymus
Researchers generated interleukin-7 receptor alpha (Il7r) Cre recombinase knockin mice and traced lymphocyte development by visualizing the history of Il7r expression. [Immunity]

IL-6 Increases B Cell IgG Production in a Feed-Forward Pro-Inflammatory Mechanism to Skew Hematopoiesis and Elevate Myeloid Production
The data indicates a feed-forward process in which peripheral macrophages, responding through IgG receptors to secreted IgG, produce IL-6, to support further B cell production of IgG. [Blood]

Downregulation of GATA1 Uncouples STAT5-Induced Erythroid Differentiation from Stem/Progenitor Cell Proliferation
Gene expression profiling allowed the identification of GATA1-dependent and GATA1-independent STAT5 target genes, and these studies revealed that a number of proliferation-related genes were upregulated by STAT5 independent of GATA1, whereas a number of erythroid differentiation related genes were found to be GATA1 as well as STAT5 dependent. [Blood]

Common Variants of Large Effect in F12, KNG1, and HRG Are Associated with Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time
Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is associated with risk of thrombosis and coagulation disorders. Researchers conducted a genome-wide association study for aPTT and identified significant associations with single-nucleotide polymorphisms in three coagulation cascade genes, F12, KNG1, and HRG. [Am J Hum Genet]

Oral Delivery of Bioencapsulated Coagulation Factor IX Prevents Inhibitor Formation and Fatal Anaphylaxis in Hemophilia B Mice
To address complications of pathogenic antibody or life-threatening anaphylactic reactions in protein replacement therapy for patients with hemophilia or other inherited protein deficiencies, researchers have developed a prophylactic protocol using a murine hemophilia B model. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

Effects of the NUP98–DDX10 Oncogene on Primary Human CD34+ Cells: Role of a Conserved Helicase Motif
Here, researchers show that NUP98–DDX10 dramatically increases proliferation and self-renewal of primary human CD34+ cells, and disrupts their erythroid and myeloid differentiation. [Leukemia]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Phase I Combination Trial of Lenalidomide and Azacitidine in Patients With Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Lenalidomide and azacitidine are active in patients with lower- and higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes. These agents may complement each other by targeting both the bone marrow microenvironment and hypomethylating action on the malignant clone. [J Clin Oncol]

Total Skin Electron Beam and Non-Myeloablative Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation in Advanced Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome
Transformed mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are currently incurable. Researchers studied the safety and efficacy of total skin electron beam with allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in patients with cutaneous T cell lymphoma. [J Clin Oncol]

Long-Term Study of Indolent Adult T-Cell Leukemia-Lymphoma
The long-term prognosis of indolent adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL) is not clearly elucidated. From 1974 to 2003, newly diagnosed indolent ATL in 90 patients (65 chronic type and 25 smoldering type) were analyzed. [Blood]

Senesco Technologies, Inc. Announces Private Placement Financing for Gross Proceeds of $11.5 Million
Senesco Technologies, Inc. entered into definitive agreements with institutional and accredited investors for a private placement of up to 11,497 shares of Convertible Preferred Stock of the Company and Warrants to purchase up to 35,928,125 shares of Common Stock for a gross purchase price of approximately $11,497,000. [FierceBiotech]

Atlanta Firm Drops Bid for Medafor
CryoLife withdrew its $2-a-share offerbut could further plead its case in a lawsuit or at a shareholders meeting. [StarTribune]

BioSante Announces Additional Positive Leukemia Vaccine Results and Second FDA Orphan Drug Designation
BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced positive GVAX AML Vaccine results and BioSante’s receipt of Orphan Drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Orphan Products Development for GVAX AML Vaccine in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. [BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Press Release]

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® and Avila Therapeutics™ Enter Partnership to Accelerate Development of AVL-292 For Patients with B Cell Malignancies
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Avila Therapeutics, Inc., announced they have
established a collaboration to support development of one of Avila’s lead product candidates, AVL-292, for treatment of adults with B cell cancers. Through the partnership, LLS will provide up to $3.2 million to support Avila’s clinical development of AVL-292. [Avila Therapeutics, Inc. Press Release]

Declaratory Relief Complaint for Patent Infringement under Patent based on Manufacture, Marketing and Sale of Arzerra
Genmab A/S announced that on March 23, 2010 Genentech, Inc. and Biogen Idec, Inc. filed a declaratory relief complaint at the US District Court, Southern District of California against Genmab’s collaboration partner GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for patent infringement under US patent No 7,682,612 based on GSK’s manufacture, marketing and sale of Arzerra™ in the United States for the treatment of fludarabine and alemtuzumab refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. [Genmab A/S Press Release]

Carl Wieman Chosen for White House Science Post
Physicist Carl Wieman has been picked to be associate director for science in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. [Office of Science and Technology Policy, United States]

Notice of Termination of Selected Research Training and Research Career Development Award Funding Opportunity Announcements (NOT-OD-10-069) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Final Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (Kirschstein-NRSA) Policy for Tuition, Fees, and Health Insurance on Training Grants and Fellowships (NOT-OD-10-073) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Government Accountability Office: FDA Needs Better Plans To Protect Public Health
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is facing significant planning and management challenges that could affect its ability to protect the public health, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office. [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Guidance for Industry on the Content and Format of the Dosage and Administration Section of Labeling for Human Prescription Drug and Biological Products; Availability (Docket No. FDA-2007-D-0201) [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Advisory Committees; Technical Amendment (Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001) [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Food and Drug Administration Clinical Trial Requirements, Regulations, Compliance, and Good Clinical Practices; Public Workshop (Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001) [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Waivers for Conflicts of Interest for the April 12, 2010 Blood Products Advisory Committee Meeting [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Consultation: Proposed Standards for Haematopoietic Progenitor Cells Intended for Use in Haematopoietic Reconstitution [Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia]

12th Biennial Canadian Blood and Marrow Transplant Group (CBMTG) Conference
April 7-10, 2010
Vancouver, Canada

American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 101st Annual Meeting 2010
April 17-21, 2010
Washington, DC, United States

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 8th Annual Meeting
June 16-19, 2010
San Francisco, United States

XXXIst International Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) in joint cooperation with the 43rd Congress of the German Society for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology (DGTI)
June 26-July 1, 2010
Berlin, Germany

Society for Hematology and Stem Cells (ISEH) 2010 Meeting
September 15-18, 2010
Melbourne, Australia

American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) Annual Meeting 2010
October 9-12, 2010
Baltimore, United States

52nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition
December 4-7, 2010
Orlando, United States

Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

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