Lecturer Prof. Idit Shachar

Contact tamar.cohen@weizmann.ac.il

Abstract Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in the Western world. The disease is characterized by decreased apoptosis and accumulation of mature B lymphocytes. We have previously shown that CD74 induces a downstream cascade that regulates CLL survival. Recently, we showed that CD74-intracellular domain interacts with the transcription factors RUNX and NF-B and binds to proximal and distal regulatory sites enriched for genes involved in apoptosis, immune response and cell migration. One of CD74 target genes is CD84. Our results demonstrate that CD84 mediates the interaction of CLL cells with their microenvironment inducing cell survival. In addition, activation of CD84 elevates PD-L1 expression on CLL cells and their microenvironment which interact with PD-1 expressed on T cells. Our results suggest CD84 blockade as a novel therapeutic strategy to reverse tumor-induced immune suppression.

Details Dept. of Immunology, WIS