What is the Achilles heel of leukemia stem cells?

  Although the treatment has been greatly improved, only one of the two adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients will survive. For the elderly over 65 years old, the average survival time of acute myeloid leukemia is less than one Researchers speculate that the cause of the disease may be leukemia stem cells. Leukemia stem cells cannot be completely eliminated in the patient's body. These leukemia stem cells are the cause of the patient's relapse and death.

  Recently, in a research paper published in the international journal Cancer Research, researchers from Goethe-Universitat Frankfurt am Main have discovered the weakness of acute myeloid leukemia stem cells through research. -Lipoxygenase (5-LO) enzymes play an important role in the survival of acute myeloid leukemia stem cells.

  Researchers have previously discovered the role of 5-LO in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases such as asthma. Researcher Professor Jessica Roos said that in this study, we found that leukemia stem cells in the acute myeloid leukemia subgroup may be affected by 5-LO. LO inhibitors effectively and selectively attack, and this phenomenon can be observed in cell culture models and leukemia mouse models.

  Researchers said that this study provides new research basis and clues for the development of new 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors to inhibit the inventory of leukemia, thereby providing new research basis and clues for the inhibition and treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. In later studies, researchers will also use in-depth research to reveal the role and mechanism of 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors in inhibiting the function of leukemia stem cells.