A comparison of normal and leukemic stem cell biology in chronic myeloid leukemia

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), a myeloproliferative disease of stem cell o rigin, is characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome and the ber-abl oncogene. The BCR-ABL fusion gene product, thought to be c ausative in CML, has multiple effects on diverse cell functions such as gro wth, differentiation and turnover as well as adhesion and apoptosis. Persis tent Ph-negative progenitors co-exist with leukemic cells, both in the marr ow and blood of patients, in the early chronic phase or the disease. Despit e accumulating knowledge or hemopoiesis and the disease process, CML remain s incurable with conventional chemotherapy. Nonetheless, with the efficacy of the ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor STI-571 (signal transduction inhibitor 571) as a novel therapy in CML recently being realized in clinical trials, it is therefore timely to review our current understanding of the cell bio logy of this fascinating disease. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd .