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April 21-25, 2012
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New Biomarker May Predict Prognosis for Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
San Diego—Researchers at the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine have
shown that G protein-coupled receptor expression may predict the prognosis of patients with
chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Their findings may identify new ways to treat such patients. The
UCSD researchers, led by Paul A. Insel, M.D., Professor of Pharmacology and Medicine, will
present their findings on April 24.
A clinical problem for many diseases, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) the most
common form of leukemia in adults, is the lack of tests or biomarkers that can predict its
prognosis. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 16,060 new cases of CLL and
nearly 4,580 deaths from CLL will occur in 2012. CLL is characterized by an increased
accumulation of certain types of malignant while blood cells in the blood stream and is classified
as two types: aggressive, which requires immediate treatment; or indolent, which is slow
growing and does not require treatment.
Certain tests exist to help predict which type of CLL a patient may have, but the availability and
usefulness of such tests are limited. Using white blood cells obtained from patients with indolent
or aggressive CLL as well as from healthy individuals, the researchers identified a number of
specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are uniquely expressed in patients with two
different forms of the disease.
GPCRs are a large family of protein receptors that sense molecules outside of cells and alter
pathways and responses within cells. “The expression of particular GPCRs is disease stagespecific, and thus this profile, or perhaps individual GPCRs, are potential biomarkers and
therapeutic targets for CLL,” said Insel. “GPCRs are attractive targets since they are expressed
on the cell surface and vary in their expression in different tissues.”
The researchers found that the expression of one GPCR, the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
receptor 1 (VIPR1), increased more than 700-fold in aggressive CLL compared to its expression
in patients with indolent CLL. In addition, treating the leukemic cells with VIP, which activates
VIPR1, induced their death.
“We find that the expression of specific GPCRs appears to a play a role in prognosis of CLL,”
said Dr. Insel. “Thus, such GPCRs may also provide new ways to treat the disease, since they
reflect part of its underlying biology and pathology. We are undertaking other studies to
determine if particular patterns of GPCR expression and perhaps that of uniquely expressed
GPCRs characterize other cancers and other diseases.”
About Experimental Biology 2012
Experimental Biology is an annual gathering of six scientific societies that this year is expected
to draw 13,000-plus independent scientists and exhibitors. The societies represented are:
American Association of Anatomists (AAA), American Physiological Society (APS), American
Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), American Society for Investigative
Pathology (ASIP), American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and the American Society for
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET).
About ASPET
ASPET is a 5,100 member scientific society whose members conduct basic and clinical
pharmacological research within the academic, industrial and government sectors. Our members
discover and develop new medicines and therapeutic agents that fight existing and emerging
diseases, as well as increase our knowledge regarding how therapeutics affects humans.