Defective regulation of leukemic hematopoiesis in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Over the last two decades considerable knowledge has been acquired about the distribution of cell types within the dominant leukemic (Ph+/BCR-ABL+) clone that results in human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Evidence is now growing to indicate that three key biological changes affecting the development of such clones are: (1) an increased probability of differentiation at the level of the most primitive leukemic stem cells; (2) an increased turnover rate of the leukemic progenitors at all stages of differentiation: and (3) their increased ability to survive under conditions of factor-deprivation. Such a model explains the long latent period for the development of CML as well as why normal stem cells may persist in large numbers but still fail to compete in contributing to the daily output of mature blood cells in patients with disease. The recent development of new genetic and transplant models of human CML may now allow the molecular basis of these biological disturbances to be delineated and more effective therapeutic strategies developed.