IL-21 as new therapy for CLL?

摘要

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is still considered an incurable disease, despite recent progress due to the development of agents such as fludarabine and antibodies (rituximab, alemtuzumab); thus, additional therapeutic approaches are highly desired. IL-21 triggers the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) exerted by natu- ral killer (NK) cells on rituximab-coated syn-geneic or allogeneic CLL cells in all patients, including those resistant to apoptosis induction by IL-21. IL-21 appears, therefore, more interesting than other NK-stimulatory cyto-kines, such as IL-2 and IL-12, that present the disadvantage of simultaneously favoring the proliferation of CLL cells and/or preventing#