Dan Jones, M.D., Ph.D. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

GENETICS

Proteomic characterization of activation induced TCL1-complexes and their targeting as a therapeutic strategy in CLL

Update:

Our group is studying the role of growth signaling pathways in CLL, especially TCL1.

We have shown that the levels of TCL1, a small molecule which functions as an oncogene in CLL, raises and falls when leukemia cells divide, differentially regulating the activity of cellular enzymes (specifically serine/threonine kinases, including Akt), through the cell cycle. This effect shifts the balance between growth and death in CLL cells.

We have discovered that TCL1 interacts with the signals from the B-cell receptor (antibody) complex in B-cell CLL and the T-cell receptor in T-cell CLL types. We are currently assessing whether alteration of TCL1 levels, by disrupting its protein complexes with small molecule mimics, can reduce CLL growth.