Expression, Functions and Potential Therapeutic Implications of CD157 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by the accumulation of immature myeloid blasts in the bone marrow and peripheral blood. Despite recent clinical advances, the outcome for most patients remains poor.Fewer than one-third of adult AML patients enjoy durable remission, indicating a need for different therapeutic approaches. Immunotherapy carries a promise to eradicate chemoresistant clone(s) and provide long-term disease control; however, suitable targets for AML immunotherapy are currently limited, so discovery of new targets would be highly beneficial to patients. Here we provide an overview of CD157 glycoprotein, an adhesion molecule that has recently attracted attention due to its unique expression on both leukemic cells and the local microenvironment and its implication in the biology of AML. Finally, we discuss strengths and weaknesses of CD157 as a potential therapeutic target.