title: Acute myeloid leukemia - strategies and challenges for targeting oncogenic Hedgehog/GLI signaling.
abstract: Treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive and heterogeneous hematological malignancy, remains a challenge. Despite advances in our understanding of the complex genetics and biology of AML pathophysiology, these findings have been translated to the clinic with only limited success, and poor outcomes persist for the majority of patients. Thus, novel treatment strategies are clearly needed for achieving deeper and prolonged remissions and for avoiding the development of resistance. Due to its profound role in (cancer) stem cell biology and differentiation, the Hedgehog (HH)/Glioma-associated Oncogene Homolog (GLI) signaling pathway may be an attractive novel therapeutic target in AML. In this review, we aim to provide a critical and concise overview of the currently known potential and challenges of HH/GLI targeting. We describe the biological role of the HH/GLI pathway in AML pathophysiology. We specifically focus on ways of targeting non-canonical HH/GLI signaling in AML, particularly in combination with standard treatment regimens, which may overcome some hurdles observed with approved HH pathway inhibitors in solid tumors.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Department of Molecular Biology, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria. fritz.aberger@sbg.ac.at.
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aberger
authors.affiliation: Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Salzburg Cancer Research Institute (SCRI) - Laboratory for Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research (LIMCR), 5020, Salzburg, Austria.|Third Medical Department with Hematology, Medical Oncology, Hemostaseology, Infectious Disease and Rheumatology, Oncologic Center, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Muellner Hauptstrasse 48, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hutterer
authors.affiliation: Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Department of Molecular Biology, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sternberg
authors.affiliation: Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Department of Molecular Biology, Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Pedro J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Del Burgo
authors.affiliation: Cancer Cluster Salzburg, Salzburg Cancer Research Institute (SCRI) - Laboratory for Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research (LIMCR), 5020, Salzburg, Austria. t.hartmann@salk.at.|Third Medical Department with Hematology, Medical Oncology, Hemostaseology, Infectious Disease and Rheumatology, Oncologic Center, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Muellner Hauptstrasse 48, 5020, Salzburg, Austria. t.hartmann@salk.at.
authors.forename: Tanja N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000378:metabolism*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Cancer stem cells; Combination therapy; GLI proteins; Hedgehog (HH) signaling; Non-canonical Hedgehog/GLI signaling