The Role of Interleukin-1 and Colony Stimulating Factors in the Biology of the Blasts of Acute Myeloblasts Leukemia

Abstract

AML blasts have been shown to express specific transcripts for and produce multiple cytokines in culture. Our data suggest that the primary event underlying the coordinated release of IL-1, IL-6 and GM-CSF may be the activation of IL-1β gene expression in AML blasts. Undoubtedly, these growth factors contribute to the proliferative behavior of the cells in culture, and possibly, to size expansion in vivo, as observed in the mouse model. Additional events are required, however, to cause leukemic transformation. Furthermore, the concept of autocrine stimulation of cancer cells includes, in extenso, all the genes that act down stream of the ligand, that is the corresponding cell surface receptor and gene products involved in signal transduction. Understanding the cellular proteins involved in signal inception (growth factor receptor) and signal transduction may identify other candidate genes that are dysregulated in leukemias.

Key Words:

• Acute myeloblasts leukemia
• Interleukin-1
• colony stimulating factor