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Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a chronic blood disease affecting mature B lymphocytes. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, there is a rise in the number of lymphocytes that can be explained, among others, by the inhibiton of the apoptosis of these cells. Apoptosis is a process of self-destruction of cells that is regulated by a system of anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic proteins. Overexpression of anti- apoptotic proteins, including Bcl-2, has been observed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and this significant upregulation is thought to be one of the causes of this disease. Different strategies are possible to inhibit the rise in the abundance of Bcl-2 proteins such as the use of BH3 mimetic molecules that block the anti-apoptotic action or molecules that inhibit the synthesis of Bcl-2 proteins. Oblimersen, navitoclax ABT-199 and AT-101 are drug compounds recently developed that exploit these different therapeutic strategies. This master's thesis offers an update on the current clinical studies, as well as on the efficacy and the side effects of these four molecules.

Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell --- Gossypol --- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2