Protein Kinase C-β-Dependent Activation of NF-κB in Stromal Cells Is Indispensable for the Survival of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia B Cells In Vivo

Gloria Lutzny, Thomas Kocher, Marc Schmidt-Supprian, Martina Rudelius, Ludger Klein-Hitpass, Andrew J. Finch, Jan Dürig, Michaela Wagner, Claudia Haferlach, Alexander Kohlmann, Susanne Schnittger, Marc Seifert, Stefan Wanninger, Nadja Zaborsky, Robert Oostendorp, Jürgen Ruland, Michael Leitges, Toni Kuhnt, Yvonne Schäfer, Benedikt LamplChristian Peschel, Alexander Egle, Ingo Ringshausen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

126 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tumor cell survival critically depends on heterotypic communication with benign cells in the microenvironment. Here, we describe a survival signaling pathway activated in stromal cells by contact to B cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The expression of protein kinase C (PKC)-βII and the subsequent activation of NF-κB in bone marrow stromal cells are prerequisites to support the survival of malignant B cells. PKC-β knockout mice are insusceptible to CLL transplantations, underscoring the in vivo significance of the PKC-βII-NF-κB signaling pathway in the tumor microenvironment. Upregulated stromal PKC-βII in biopsies from patients with CLL, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and mantle cell lymphoma suggests that this pathway may commonly be activated in a variety of hematological malignancies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)77-92
Number of pages16
JournalCancer Cell
Volume23
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 14 Jan 2013

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