Lentivirus-mediated down-regulation of CK2α inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of malignant lymphoma and leukemia cells.

Casein kinase II subunit alpha (CK2α) is highly expressed in many malignant tumor tissues, including lymphomas and leukemia. To investigate the role of CK2α in cell proliferation and apoptosis of malignant lymphomas and leukemia, 2 lymphoma cell lines and one leukemia cell line were infected with CK2α shRNA lentivirus or negative control shRNA lentivirus, and stably infected cell lines were established. Real-time PCR and Western blot results showed that the mRNA and protein levels of CK2α were significantly reduced in CK2α knockdown cells. The tetrazolium-based colorimetric (MTT) assay found that down-regulation of CK2α inhibited the proliferation of these cells. Flow cytometry analysis showed that inhibition of CK2α induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of lymphoma and leukemia cells. In accordance with these, down-regulation of CK2α also reduced the protein levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclinD1, and bcl-2, and increased the protein expression of bax, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, and cleaved poly(ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP). Moreover, knockdown of CK2α impeded the growth of xenograft tumors in vivo. In summary, our study revealed that CK2α may contribute to the development of malignant lymphoma and leukemia, and serve as the therapeutic target of these malignant tumors.

[Role of radiotherapy in the management of non-Hodgkin lymphomas]. / Place de la radiothérapie dans la prise en charge des lymphomes malins non hodgkiniens.

The purpose of this review was to summarize recent data about lastest retrospective and prospective studies dealing with radiotherapy of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, in order to precise the schedule and the role of this treatment. A systematic review was done by searching studies on the website http://www.pubmed.gov (Medline) using the following keywords: radiotherapy, radiation therapy, non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The management of non-Hodgkin lymphoma varies a lot according to the histological type and stage. The dose of radiotherapy has been studied in only one randomized trial, which concluded that there was no difference between the low dose and the high dose arms. Radiotherapy is a very good option in follicular, cutaneous, digestive or orbital non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A recent post hoc analysis of randomized trials on radiotherapy for high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma strongly suggested a benefit of additional radiotherapy after chemotherapy in some situations. Radiotherapy of low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a very good option, while its use on high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma is sometimes recommended but further randomized trials are ongoing to better understand its role.

[Lymphomas]. / Lymphome.

Although malignant lymphoma is split in over 60 distinct entities, four of them, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, follicular-, Hodgkin's- and mantle cell lymphoma constitute more than half of all new cases. A recent major revision of the Ann Arbor staging system restricts the suffix "A" and "B" just to Hodgkin's lymphoma. Bone marrow exams are abandonned in Hodgkin's and restricted in DLBCL. PET exams at different time points are crucial. PET guided therapy will lead to a reduction of the use of chemo- and radiation therapy. Many new targeted drugs have been introduced. Their therapeutic index is impressive as is their price tag. The radiation and chemotherapy free treatment of malignant lymphoma is within reach.

[Adult-onset Still's disease as a manifestation of malignancy: report of a patient with melanoma and literature review]. / Pseudomaladie de Still et néoplasie : une observation de mélanome et revue de la littérature.

INTRODUCTION: A malignancy must be carefully excluded before ruling in the diagnosis of adult onset Still's disease (AOSD). However, an occult or poorly symptomatic malignancy can easily be overlooked. CASE REPORT: We report a 50-year-old female patient who presented with features of adult onset Still's disease (AOSD), in fact heralding a malignant melanoma with fatal outcome since discovered lately, at a metastatic stage. In retrospect, the only significant atypical feature was cholestatic hepatitis, which soon disappeared upon institution of glucocorticoid treatment. The literature review identified 27 additional cases of AOSD-like disease associated with malignancy published since 1980 including solid cancer in 61% of the cases (especially breast and lung) and haematological malignancies in 39% of the cases (especially malignant lymphoma). The interval between OASD-like symptoms and malignancy averaged 8 months, and AOSD most often preceding malignancy. Although idiopathic AOSD and neoplastic AOSD-like disease are often indistinguishable initially, some features could point toward the latter: an onset of AOSD after the age of 40 years, the presence of atypical clinical, biological, or immunological features in less than one third of the cases, and a poor response to NAIDS or systemic glucocorticoids in 61% of the cases. CONCLUSION: Making the differential diagnosis of malignancy-associated AOSD in a timely fashion remains a primary goal, even in the most typical cases and those showing good initial therapeutic response.