Gene-ius Club
The original two-hit model of AML involved Class I mutations for proliferation and Class II for differentiation. The modern “third hit” involves this level of regulation
Epigenetic modification
This epigenetic disorder is the most common blood and bone marrow cancer in adults, and is also common in children.
AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia)
True or False: Mutations in histone tail regulators are common in AML patients.
False
True or False: AML is equally common in both men and women.
False
This is the first treatment phase of chemotherapy for AML aimed at killing cancerous blasts.
Induction therapy
This gene produces a product that adds methyl groups to DNA and is mutated in about 22% of AML cases.
DNMT3A
Fatigue, a common symptom of AML, is often caused by low levels of these oxygen carriers.
Red blood cells
These two genes, which help regulate histone tail modifications, can be mutated in AML.
EZH2 and ASXL-1
While also being linked to other cancers such as lung cancer, this activity can increase your risk by allowing carcinogens in your bloodstream.
Smoking
This post-induction phase of chemotherapy for AML is meant to prevent relapse.
Consolidation (or maintenance) therapy
Mutations in the TET2 gene lead to less regulated DNA methylation, which may increase cell renewal capabilities and play an important role in this process.
Leukemogenesis
Patients with AML have a shortage of these cells, which causes frequent infections and fevers.
White blood cells
Loss of this gene's expression leads to overexpression of leukemia-promoting genes.
ASXL-1
This type of bone-marrow cancer, also known as MDS, has the possibility of developing into AML.
Myelodysplastic Syndrome
This growth factor helps recover lost neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, after chemotherapy.
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF)
The study Figueroa et al, 2010 found this number of unusually methylated (usually hypermethylated) genes in AML patients.
45
AML patients have symptoms such as easy bruising and excessive bleeding. These symptoms are caused by low counts of these types of cell fragments.
Platelets
This gene usually influences histone deacetylation; when mutated, it can lead to in-cell activity associated with cancer cells.
EZH2
Although chemotherapy is one of the main treatments for AML, certain chemotherapy drugs such as carboplatin, chlorambucil, and procarbazine are a risk factor for developing AML. These drugs are known as what types of agents.
Alkylating agents
This treatment type isn’t standard for AML, but might appear in rare cases.
Radiation Therapy
Mutated IDH1 and 2 genes in AML patients overproduce 2-hydroxyglutarate from this compound, which is necessary for TET2 gene products.
α-ketoglutarate
High levels of leukemic blasts lead to this rare but serious variation of AML, which causes symptoms like confusion, headache, and slurred speech.
Leukostasis
Histone modifications, like DNA methylation, “lock in” a leukemic state using these two mechanisms.
Silencing tumor suppressor genes and fixing abnormal chromatin states
In organic chemistry, you might have learned about the aromatic compounds. This aromatic compound, with the chemical structure C6H5, is known to increase one's risk for developing AML.
Benzene
Name one epigenetic target for a potential future AML therapy.
DNMT3A or IDH1 and 2 pathways