title: Role of Pten in leukemia stem cells.
abstract: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is initiated from the BCR-ABL-expressing leukemia stem cells (LSCs). These LSCs are highly resistant to BCR-ABL kinase inhibitors, imatinib, dasantinib and nilotinib, and methods for eradication of LSCs are still not available. It is critical to identify genes that play roles in survival and proliferation of LSCs. We recently discovered that the tumor suppressor gene Pten is downregulated in LSCs of CML mice. By genetic deletion or overexpression of Pten, we confirmed that Pten functions as a tumor suppressor in LSCs of CML, consistent with the role of Pten in LSCs of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and progenitor cells of T-ALL progenitors. Functional enhancement of the Pten pathway provides a therapeutic strategy for targeting LSCs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
authors.forename: Yaoyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Computer and Security Science, Edith Cowan University, 2 Bradford Street, Mount Lawley, WA 6050, Australia.
authors.forename: Dongguang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
authors.forename: Shaoguang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001549:Benzamides; D000069439:Dasatinib; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D013844:Thiazoles; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C498826:nilotinib; D000069439:Dasatinib