Inhibitors of shuttle molecule show promise in acute leukemia

A novel family of experimental agents that blocks a molecule from shuttling proteins out of the cell nucleus might offer a new treatment for people with acute leukemia. The agents, called KPT-SINEs (selective inhibitors of nuclear export), target a transport protein called CRM1. The study shows that these agents inhibit leukemia-cell proliferation, arrest cell division, and induce cell death and differentiation. In an animal model, KPT-SINEs extended survival by 46 percent.