Constitutively activating internal tandem duplications (ITD) of FLT3 (FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3) are the most common mutations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and correlate with poor prognosis. Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting FLT3 have developed as attractive treatment options. Because relapses occur after initial responses, identification of FLT3-ITD-mediated signaling events ar...

Mutations of the FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase consisting of internal tandem duplications (ITD) have been detected in blasts from 20% to 30% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and are associated with a poor prognosis. FLT3/ITD results in constitutive autophosphorylation of the receptor and factor-independent survival in leukemia cell lines. The C-28 methyl ester of the oleane triterp...

FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase is expressed on lymphoid and myeloid progenitors in the hematopoietic system. Activating mutations in FLT3 have been identified in approximately 30% of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia, making it one of the most common mutations observed in this disease. Frequently, the mutation is an in-frame internal tandem duplication (ITD) in the juxtamembrane region th...

BACKGROUND Activating mutations [internal tandem duplication (ITD)] or overexpression of the FMS-like tyrosine kinase receptor-3 (FLT3) gene are associated with poor outcome in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, underscoring the need for novel therapeutic approaches. The natural product silvestrol has potent antitumor activity in several malignancies, but its therapeutic impact on distinct ...

Aurora kinases play an essential role in orchestrating chromosome alignment, segregation, and cytokinesis during mitotic progression and both aurora-A and B are frequently overexpressed in a variety of human malignancies. In this study, we report the effects of AZD1152-HQPA, a highly selective inhibitor of aurora-B kinase, in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines and primary samples. We show ...

In the July 1, 2006, issue of Blood, Meshinchi et al1 comment on the role of stem-cell transplantation (SCT) in FLT3/ITD-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In their interpretation of data previously presented by Gale et al,2 they conclude that the occurrence of a FLT3/ITD may not be regarded as a negative prognostic factor in patients undergoing allogeneic SCT. The dispute between both auth...

Fetal liver tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) internal tandem duplications (ITDs) are powerful adverse prognostic indicators for relapse in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but the most efficacious therapy for FLT3/ITD(+) patients is currently unknown. We evaluated outcome according to FLT3/ITD status in 1135 adult patients treated according to United Kingdom Medical Research Council (UK MRC) AML protocols:...

PURPOSE We evaluated leukemia-associated immunophenotypes (LAIP) and their correlation with fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) and nucleophosmin (NPM1) gene mutational status in order to contribute a better identification of patients at highest risk of relapse in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Bone marrow samples from 132 patients with AML were analyzed by nine-color multipa...

Frameshift mutations in exon 12 of the nucleophosmin gene (NPM1) result in aberrant cytoplasmic localization of the NPM protein (NPMc(+)) and occur in 25% to 35% of adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In adults with AML, NPMc(+) has been associated with normal karyotype, FLT3/ITD mutations, high remission induction rates, and improved survival (particularly in patients lacking FLT3/ITD). NPMc(+...

Although FLT3 mutations are essentially found in myeloid-lineage leukemia cells, a high level of FLT3 expression was recently observed in MLL gene-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia without FLT3 mutations. Here, we analyzed the biologic and clinical significance of the FLT3 transcript level in comparison with several gene alterations in 181 de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases. The m...