CURRENT ISSUE
April, 2023
No. 108 (4)
2021 CiteScore: 11.8
2021 Impact Factor: 11.04
Submission > Acceptance: 49 days
EDITOR'S PICKS
ARTICLES IN THREE SENTENCES

Article
Hyperactive CREB subpopulations increase during therapy in pediatric B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia
In B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) the most powerful prognostic factor is the response to initial chemotherapy. To better understand clonal evolution and mechanisms of chemoresistance, Masic and colleagues used multiparameter mass cytometry, at single-cell resolution, to characterize pediatric B-ALL cells at diagnosis and those persisting during induction therapy. They showed the presence of activated cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and found minor subpopulations with hyperactive CREB at presentation that appeared to have a selective advantage during induction therapy.

Article
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in octogenarians aged 85 and older can benefit from treatment with curative intent: a report on 129 patients prospectively registered in the Elderly Project of the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL)
Octogenarian patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma are managed mainly with palliation. Tucci and colleagues analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of late octogenarians (aged >85 years) enrolled in the FIL Elderly Project. They concluded that patients <85 years can benefit from a curative approach with reduced-dose anthracycline and from rituximab within palliation.

Article
Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura plasma induces calcium- and IgG-dependent endothelial activation: correlations with disease severity
It has been suggested that endothelial cell activation is a trigger of immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP). Tellier and colleagues prospectively studied the plasma from the first plasma exchange of 25 patients during acute phase iTTP. They demonstrated that Ca2+-mediated endothelial cell activation constitutes a “second hit” for iTTP; it is correlated with the severity of the disease and may constitute a possible therapeutic target.

Letter
Targeting cytokine-induced leukemic stem cell persistence in chronic myeloid leukemia by IKK2-inhibition
In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), leukemic stem cells (LSC) are characterized by a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-persisting, inflammatory cytokine response pattern. In preliminary work Bütow and colleagues showed that TNF signaling is active in murine CML stem cells and that TNF-targeted antibody treatment enhanced the efficiency of TKI treatment. Here they present their study confirming TKI-persistent TNF-induced NF-κB signaling in CML mice and human cells and underline the potential of targeting NF-κB, via IKK2-inhibition, to eliminate TKI-persisting LSC.
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