Funded by the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund
KMT2A acute lymphoblastic leukemia (KMT2A ALL) is the most common ALL subtype in infants and common in older children with ALL. It is a deadly disease that does not respond well to chemotherapy treatments and often returns. Our goal is to identify new medicines that can improve the health of patients with this disease. Our studies show that KMT2A ALL need the signaling molecule DYRK1A to multiply and grow, a process called cell proliferation. DYRK1A regulates cell proliferation by transmitting information to other signaling molecules. Using a specific DYRK1A inhibitor slowed down cell proliferation but did not kill KMT2A ALL cells. Our study showed that one molecule is important for protecting KMT2A ALL cells against DYRK1A inhibition. This molecule is called BCL2. We are now testing using a two-medicine treatment approach if inhibition of DYRK1A and BCL2 can kill KMT2A ALL cells. If this new treatment approach proves to be better than current chemotherapy treatments, we aim to test this new strategy in patients.
