SCOR in Targeted Therapies for Infant Leukemias Project 2: Targeting Apoptosis in Leukemia in Infants
SCOR in Targeted Therapies for Infant Leukemias Project 2: Targeting Apoptosis in Leukemia in Infants
RATIONALE: Studying the effects of obatoclax mesylate in cell samples from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about the effects of obatoclax mesylate on cancer cells. It may also help doctors identify biomarkers related to cancer.
PURPOSE: This research study is studying obatoclax mesylate in samples from young patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
OBJECTIVES:
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.
Obatoclax mesylate activity is assessed via the MTT assay. A priori features of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blasts relating to the apoptosis and ATG cell death pathways and their execution are characterized using microarray analysis and quantitative real-time (Q-RT) PCR. Gene and protein expression is described and quantified using Q-RT PCR and western blot analysis at specific time points after obatoclax mesylate exposure to identify pharmacodynamic biomarkers of activity and characterize the cell death mechanism in multiple-lineage leukemia (MLL)+ AML. The MTT assay is performed using obatoclax mesylate-cytotoxic chemotherapy combinations to determine synergy focusing on common cytotoxic drugs employed in AML treatment regimens.
Obatoclax mesylate efficacy is tested in a therapeutic NOG xenograft model of primary MLL+ infant AML.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: