Figure 2.

SIRT1 as a therapeutic target for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). CML is supported by leukemic stem cells (LSCs) that produce the nontumorigenic cells that make up the bulk of the tumor. SIRT1 is active in LSCs during both chronic and blast crisis phases of CML. Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), can control CML by targeting the differentiated cancer cells. However, it does not affect CML LSCs. A combination of TKI treatment plus inhibition of SIRT1 can effectively eradicate CML LSCs.