Adhesion Molecules in Multiple Myeloma Oncogenesis and Targeted Therapy
Maroun Bou Zerdan, Lewis Nasr, Joseph Kassab, Ludovic Saba, Myriam Ghossein, Marita Yaghi, Barbara Dominguez, Chakra P. Chaulagain
Abstract
Every day we march closer to finding the cure for multiple myeloma. The myeloma cells inflict their damage through specialized cellular meshwork and cytokines system. Implicit in these interactions are cellular adhesion molecules and their regulators which include but are not limited to integrins and syndecan-1/CD138, immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecules, such as CD44, cadherins such as N-cadherin, and selectins, such as E-selectin. Several adhesion molecules are respectively involved in myelomagenesis such as in the transition from the precursor disorder monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance to indolent asymptomatic multiple myeloma (smoldering myeloma) then to active multiple myeloma or primary plasma cell leukemia, and in the pathological manifestations of multiple myeloma.