Project description:The development of a clinically relevant xenograft model of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia, using a 4-drug treatment regimen designed to mimic pediatric remission induction therapy. Relapse and acquired drug resistance in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) remains a significant clinical problem. This study was designed to establish a preclinical model of resistance to induction therapy in childhood T-ALL to examine the emergence of drug resistance and identify novel therapies. We performed transcription profiling by array of human CD45-positive human lymphocytes from patients with acute pediatric lymphoblastic leukemia, and from xenografted NOD/SCID mice treated with vincristine, daunorubicin, dexamethasone and L-asparagine. Several different treatment regimes were used in this study (VLXD, VLXDR, VLXD2, VXL and VLXD2-ALL31) and are summarised in the protocols associated with this submission.