Hematopoiesis News Volume 2.32 | Aug 16 2011

Stem Cells Central to Pathogenesis of Mature Lymphoid Tumors
New research suggests that blood stem cells can be involved in the generation of leukemia, even when the leukemia is caused by the abnormal proliferation of mature cells. [Press release from ScienceDaily discussing online prepublication in Cancer Cell]

First Cohort Successfully Completed in Bio-Path Holding’s Phase I Clinical Trial of Lead Product Candidate Liposomal Grb-2 in Leukemia
Bio-Path Holdings, Inc. announced that it has completed treatment of the first dosage cohort in the Company’s Phase I clinical trial of its lead product candidate, BP-100-1.01 (Liposomal Grb-2), which is a systemic treatment for blood cancers including acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. [Bio-Path Holdings, Inc. Press Release]

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Self-Renewing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Is the Primary Target in Pathogenesis of Human Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Researchers report that in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the propensity to generate clonal B cells has been acquired already at the hematopoietic stem cell stage. [Cancer Cell]

Sox17 Expression Confers Self-Renewal Potential and Fetal Stem Cell Characteristics Upon Adult Hematopoietic Progenitors
In the current study, scientists show that ectopic expression of Sox17 in adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and transiently reconstituting multipotent progenitors was sufficient to confer increased self-renewal potential and the expression of fetal HSC genes, including fetal HSC surface markers. [Genes Dev]

IFN-γ Promotes Graft-Versus-Leukemia Effects without Directly Interacting with Leukemia Cells in Mice After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
The ability of IFN-γ to enhance graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) activity without direct interaction with leukemia cells was examined by comparing GVL effects against IFN-γ receptor-deficient leukemia between wild-type and IFN-γ-deficient allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. [Blood]

CpG Methylation Patterns and Decitabine Treatment Response in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells and Normal Hematopoietic Precursors
High expression of lineage-specifying factor and aberrant epigenetic repression of some key late-differentiation driver genes distinguishes acute myeloid leukemia cells from normal hematopoietic stem cells, and could explain the contrasting differentiation and methylation responses to decitabine. [Leukemia]

C-Terminal Mutation of RUNX1 Attenuates the DNA-Damage Repair Response in Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Here, scientists report that the C-terminal deletion mutant of RUNX1, RUNX1dC, attenuates DNA-damage repair responses in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. [Leukemia]

PIG7, Transactivated by AML1, Promotes Apoptosis and Differentiation of Leukemia Cells with AML1–ETO Fusion Gene
Here, researchers further investigated the relationship between AML1b and PIG7, and also the effects of PIG7 on leukemia cells. [Leukemia]

Transcriptome Profiling and Sequencing of Differentiated Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells Reveal Lineage Specific Expression and Alternative Splicing of Genes
Herein, scientists describe a human in vitro hematopoietic model system where lineage specific differentiation of CD34⁺ cells was accomplished using specific cytokines. [Physiol Genomics]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Clofarabine and Busulfan Conditioning Facilitates Engraftment and Provides Significant Anti-Tumor Activity in Non-Remission Hematologic Malignancies
To improve the anti-tumor activity of conditioning, researchers combined clofarabine with myeloablative doses of busulfan in a phase I/II study in non-remission hematologic malignancies. [Blood]

Phase II Study of Rituximab in Newly Diagnosed Stage IA Nodular Lymphocyte-Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Report from the German Hodgkin Study Group
In this phase II trial, scientists investigated rituximab in newly diagnosed stage IA nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma patients. [Blood]

Clonal Relationship of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma and Its Recurrences
Researchers investigated whether the first and all subsequent manifestations of Hodgkin lymphoma in a patient are clonally related. [Clin Cancer Res]

Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Reports Second Quarter 2011 Financial Results
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011. [Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Press Release]

Melbourne Discovery Leads to New Cancer Drug in Clinical Trials
A scientific discovery made 20 years ago at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute has led to the development of a potential new anti-cancer agent that is now entering clinical trials to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia. [Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research Press Release]

Genesis Biopharma Signs Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the National Cancer Institute to Develop Cancer Immunotherapies
Genesis Biopharma, Inc. announced it has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the National Cancer Institute. [PR Newswire]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Blood Establishment Registration and Product Listing, Form FDA 2830 [FR Doc No: 2011-19955] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)
 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)
 
European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

NEW 33rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
August 30 – September 3, 2011
Boston, United States

NEW Bench to Bedside: Blood and Marrow Transplantation
December 16, 2011
London, United Kingdom

NEW American Association for Cancer Research 103rd Annual Meeting 2012
March 31-April 4, 2012
Chicago, United States

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the hematopoietic community

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