Inhibition of potassium currents as a pharmacologic target for investigation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

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BlankInhibition of potassium currents as a pharmacologic target for

investigation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Drug News Perspect, December 1, 2010; 23(10): 625-631.B Biderman, A Marakhonov,

M Skoblov, A Birerdinc, E Nohelty, S Page, V Khomenkov, V Chandhoke, A

Sudarikov, E Nikitin, and A Baranova

Hematology Research Center of Russia, Moscow, Russian Federation.

abaranov@....

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) represents 22-30% of all leukemia cases, thus

being the most commonly diagnosed form of adult leukemia in the Western world.

On a cellular level, the disease progresses due to the prolonged survival of

B-cell CLL cells arrested in the G? stage of the cell cycle. The current

standard treatment for CLL is a combination regimen containing purine analogues

and monoclonal antibodies. Although response rates to such regimens in

previously untreated patients are high, patients with CLL invariably experience

relapse and often acquire high-risk chromosomal abnormalities. Therefore, the

search for novel avenues in CLL treatment is warranted. In this manuscript, we

will describe theoretical premises and some preliminary data making the case for

inhibitors of the potassium currents as possible proapoptotic agents that

warrant investigation as a potential pharmacologic target in CLL.

PMID: 21180648