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Microscopic image of a thymus cup. The mature T cells (red and green) are located at the center of the thymus, while the precursor cells (yellow) are at the periphery. Credit: Mariana Ávila, IGC.
Acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia is a rare type of blood cancer that affects mostly children. This blood cancer comes from precursor cells that produce T cells (a type of white blood cell). A new study by the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC), conducted in mice, shows that leukemia can appear as a result of an extension of the presence of precursor cells in the thymus. This work has now been published in the scientific journal The journal of immunology.
T cells are essential for fighting infections and preventing cancer. They develop in the thymus, an organ located above the heart. Their development relies on seeding by precursor cells from the bone marrow and entering the thymus to differentiate and learn to protect the body. This is a secure process by an "badembly line" in the thymus, in which many precursor cells enter, but are rejected if they do not work properly. The work of Vera Martins at the IGC shows that if there is a problem with precursor cells from the bone marrow, the thymus alone can keep its "badembly line" for a while. However, this function is badociated with a high risk of developing acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia.
The IGC team tested several genetic factors in mice known to be involved in the formation of T lymphocytes. The results showed that in all the conditions tested, the incidence was about 80% of this type of leukemia. "Our study shows that it is important to study in detail the cellular, genetic, and physiological mechanisms badociated with the normal cell differentiation process, and opens the door to understanding how leukemia can appear in patients. cells that should learn to defend our body, "said Vera Martins.
This article has been republished from documents provided by the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC). Note: Content may have changed for length and content. For more information, please contact the cited source.
Reference: Ballesteros-Arias, L., Silva, J.G., Paiva, R.A., Carbonetto, B., Faísca, P. and Martins, V.C.). T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a consequence of thymic autonomy. The journal of immunology. (2019). https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1801373
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