New findings about mixed lineage leukemia

Leukemia is common among children. A recent study comes out with some new findings about how the protein plays a significant role in mixed lineage leukemia (MLL)

Leukemia occurs in the blood-forming tissues. Leukemia is the most common type of cancer among children, mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) is the most aggressive type. In MLL, a piece of chromosome 11 breaks off and attaches itself to another chromosome. MLL affects the central nervous system. A recent research carried out by Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics in Hyderabad found out that in MLL, protein plays an important role in the cell division. These proteins are the result of chromosomal translocations affecting the MLL gene.

Explains Dr Shweta Tyagi, “Chromosomal translocations in the MLL gene occur frequently in acute and lymphoid leukemia. Such translocations give rise to new fusion proteins. While most researchers concentrate on the fusion proteins as the cause of cancer, our team looked into how it regulates the cell cycle.”

According to the research finding, while undergoing cell division, the chromosomes align themselves in one straight line to be able to be divided equally into two daughter cells. “To segregate, the chromosomes attach to the spindle microtubules and act like ropes pulling the chromosomes to each end. During the research, we found that when MLL is knocked down the chromosomes keep trying to align but are not successful. This process takes less than forty minutes in a normal cell, and goes on for several hours in the absence of MLL. As a result, both daughter cells do not receive equal number of chromosomes and such cells are highly likely to become cancerous,” educates Dr Tyagi.

To identify MLL, very high-end diagnostic techniques are required. By the time, patients come to special centres, a lot of time gets lost. The results of this study show what happens during cell division and what causes cancer. This study will help in creating better treatment plans for the blood cancer patients. There is the standard treatment of chemotherapy, but it has shown poor results and is susceptible to early relapse. This may be the first step in understanding MLL clearly, but it will help find out different drugs and treatments that can be highly effective.