NF-κB as a Prognostic Marker and Therapeutic Target in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the most common adult leukemia and is currently incurable with conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Over the last few years, significant discoveries have been made regarding the biology that underpins this disease. These new insights have allowed us to develop more rational prognostic tools and identify promising novel therapeutic targets. In this review, we highlight the importance of both constitutive and inducible DNA binding of the transcription factor NF-κB in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We describe the current knowledge regarding the activity and function of specific NF-κB subunits in this disease, and discuss the complex mechanisms that regulate NF-κB activation in vivo. In addition, we provide compelling evidence for the utility of the NF-κB subunit, Rel A, as a prognostic marker and as a therapeutic target in this disease, and we also describe how this protein may contribute to the drug resistance commonly encountered with this condition.

Keywords:

• chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• NF-κB
• prognostic markers
• Rel A
• therapy

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Funding was received from Leukaemia Research UK and the Leukaemia Research Appeal for Wales. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

Funding was received from Leukaemia Research UK and the Leukaemia Research Appeal for Wales. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.