THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT OF T- AND B-ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA AND HUMAN LYMPHOMAS BY INHIBITION OF THE INTERLEUKIN-7 RECEPTOR (IL-7R)

摘要

The invention relates to the therapeutic treatment of human T-cell (T-ALL) and B-cell (B-ALL) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and human lymphomas, by inhibition of the human interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R). A first aspect of the invention is a blocking or inhibiting agent, preferably an antibody or a fragment of same, that is capable of blocking the function of the α chain of the human interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R), for the prevention and/or treatment of a human ALL or a human lymphoma. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition and a model for the identification, expansion and maintenance in vivo of human primary T-ALL and B-ALL initiating cells which can initiate the grafting of leukaemia in immunodeficient mice, as well as the characterisation of said T-ALL and B-ALL initiating cells as cells that express high levels of IL-7R.