title: A Fas agonist induces high levels of apoptosis in haematological malignancies.
abstract: We developed and tested a potent hexameric Fas agonist, termed MegaFasL, for its cytotoxic effects on a panel of human haematopoietic malignant cells and healthy human haematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34+CD38low). Results demonstrated that MegaFasL induced apoptosis in cell lines and primary cells representing multiple myeloma (MM), acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and Burkitt's lymphoma. Cells from a chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) line and from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) were resistant. Furthermore, CD34+CD38low progenitor cells were also resistant to MegaFasL. The data indicate that MegaFasL could be a highly efficient therapeutic agent ex vivo or potentially in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Apoxis S.A., 18-20 Avenue de Sévelin, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Greaney
authors.forename: Aimable
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nahimana
authors.forename: Lucienne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lagopoulos
authors.forename: Anne-Lise
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Etter
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aubry
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Attinger
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beltraminelli
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huni
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bassi
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sordat
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demotz
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dupuis
authors.forename: Michel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Duchosal
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D019014:fas Receptor; D020169:Caspases