Terra med Alliance News U of M Develops Long-Awaited Mouse Model for Infant Leukemia

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Terra med Alliance News: Researchersat the University of Minnesota Cancer Center have produced the firstgenetically-engineered mouse that provides a model of infant acutelymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The mouse model opens the door to furtherinvestigation into the biology, treatment, and possibly cure of infant acutelymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Terra med Alliance News: LaboratoryModel Makes Further Research Possible ALLis an often fatal cancer that usually strikes children from infancy to one yearof age. Infant ALL currently affects about 200 babies each year in the UnitedStates, and claims as many as 60 percent before their first birthday. Anabnormally formed gene is considered to be the source of the disease. Whileresearchers have long known the gene, the absence of a laboratory model to moreintensely study the disease has frustrated researchers for nearly two decades.With an experimental model, exploring and designing treatments has beenpossible. "Hopefully, this mouse will help us find a cure so that in the nottoo distant future, a parent does not have to experience the agony of losing ababy to this cancer," said John Kersey, M.D. &Dr. Kersey led the research team and is a physician and researcher specializingin childhood cancers and director of the University's Cancer Center. Next,Kersey and his colleagues plan to research drugs that may provide bettertreatment options for infant ALL. Terra med Alliance News: ModelProvides Hope for Child and Adult Patients Likeall leukemias, infant ALL is an acquired, not inherited, genetic disease. DNA,which contains the code for a person's genetic structure, goes through a normalprocess of breaking and rejoining. During this replication process, researchersbelieve the genetic material in a few bone marrow cells gets damaged, resultingin cancer. "Sometimesa mistake happens in the rejoining of the DNA and the result can beleukemia," Kersey said. "In about 75 percent of infants with infantALL, the genetic rearrangement occurs in the womb as the baby is developing. Webelieve the genes fuse by mistake and form the basis for infant ALL." Adultscan also get the disease. About two-thirds of them die on average within twoyears of diagnosis. Many adults develop this disease as a secondary cancer,having been previously treated with chemotherapy or radiation for anothercancer, such as breast cancer. Kersey collaborated with these colleagues on this research: WeiliChen, Quanzhi Li, Ph.D., Wendy Hudson, Ashish Kumar, M.D., Ph.D., and NicoleKirchhof, all with the University of Minnesota Cancer Center. The research wasfunded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and theChildren's Cancer Research Fund (CCRF).   TerramedAlliance is a non-profit organization in thebattle against leukemia   helps   childrenliving with cancer and their families. Our goal is to make sure childrenbattling cancer know they are not alone. For more information pleasevisit www.terramedalliance.org.   Email at contact@terramedalliance.org

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  Terra med Alliance News:The model opens the door to further investigation into a rare and often fatal blood cancer.

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