Genes involved in a type of leukemia ID'd

STANFORD, Calif., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. medical scientists have identified the gene Meis1 as critical to establishment of leukemia stem cells and development of mixed linage leukemia.

Mixed lineage leukemia, or MLL, is a distinctive type of leukemia. It's distinguished from the more prevalent acute lymphoblastic leukemia by the presence of a break and rearrangement of chromosome number 11, scientists said.

The design of effective therapies to combat MLL depends upon the understanding of the unique genetic signature that underlies the disease.

The new study, led by Dr. Michael Cleary of the Stanford University School of Medicine, found Meis1 is required for leukemia stem cell maintenance, as well as regulating many important biological properties of the disease including differentiation arrest, cycling activity, in vivo progression and self-renewal of stem cells.

The findings are reported in the Nov. 1 issue of the journal Genes & Development.