The chemokine network in acute myelogenous leukemia: molecular mechanisms involved in leukemogenesis and therapeutic implications

AO Kittang, K Hatfield, K Sand, H Reikvam… - The Chemokine System …, 2010 - Springer
AO Kittang, K Hatfield, K Sand, H Reikvam, Ø Bruserud
The Chemokine System in Experimental and Clinical Hematology, 2010Springer
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a bone marrow disease in which the leukemic cells
show constitutive release of a wide range of CCL and CXCL chemokines and express
several chemokine receptors. The AML cell release of various chemokines is often
correlated and three release clusters have been identified: CCL2–4/CXCL1/8, CCL5/CXCL9–
11, and CCL13/17/22/24/CXCL5. CXCL8 is the chemokine usually released at highest
levels. Based on their overall constitutive release profile, patients can be classified into …
Abstract
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a bone marrow disease in which the leukemic cells show constitutive release of a wide range of CCL and CXCL chemokines and express several chemokine receptors. The AML cell release of various chemokines is often correlated and three release clusters have been identified: CCL2–4/CXCL1/8, CCL5/CXCL9–11, and CCL13/17/22/24/CXCL5. CXCL8 is the chemokine usually released at highest levels. Based on their overall constitutive release profile, patients can be classified into distinct subsets that differ in their T cell chemotaxis towards the leukemic cells. The release profile is modified by hypoxia, differentiation status, pharmacological interventions, and T cell cytokine responses. The best investigated single chemokine in AML is CXCL12 that binds to CXCR4. CXCL12/CXCR4 is important in leukemogenesis through regulation of AML cell migration, and CXCR4 expression is an adverse prognostic factor for patient survival after chemotherapy. Even though AML cells usually release high levels of several chemokines, there is no general increase of serum chemokine levels in these patients and the levels are also influenced by patient age, disease status, chemotherapy regimen, and complicating infections. However, serum CXCL8 levels seem to partly reflect the leukemic cell burden in AML. Specific chemokine inhibitors are currently being developed, although redundancy and pleiotropy of the chemokine system are obstacles in drug development.
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