Childhood B-Cell Preleukemia Mouse Modeling

Leukemia is the most usual childhood cancer, and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is its most common presentation. It has been proposed that pediatric leukemogenesis occurs through a multi-step or multi-hit mechanism that includes both in utero and postnatal steps. Many childhood leukemia-initiating events, such as chromosomal translocations, originate in utero, and studies so far suggest that these first-hits occur at a far higher frequency than the incidence of childhood leukemia itself. The reason why only a small percentage of the children born with such preleukemic hits will develop full-blown leukemia is still a mystery. In order to better understand childhood leukemia, mouse modeling is essential, but only if the multistage process of leukemia can be recapitulated in the model. Therefore, mouse models naturally reproducing the multi-step process of childhood B-ALL will be essential to identify environmental or other factors that are directly linked to increased risk of disease.

Automated summary

Leukemia is the most common cancer in children, with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) being the most prevalent form. The development of pediatric leukemia is believed to occur through a multi-step or multi-hit mechanism, including prenatal and postnatal steps. Although many initiating events for childhood leukemia occur in utero at a higher frequency than the actual incidence of the disease, the reason why only a small percentage of children with these preleukemic hits develop full-blown leukemia remains unknown. Mouse models that replicate the multi-step process of childhood B-ALL will be crucial in identifying environmental or other factors associated with an increased risk of the disease.