[Notch signal pathway and chronic lymphocytic leukemia]

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), an indolent B-cell malignancy, is characterized by heterogeneity of the clinical course. Notch signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway and involved in the normal regulation of cell survival, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and other physiological processes. In recent years, more and more researchers study the relationship between Notch signaling pathway and chronic lymphocytic leukemia and have found that Notch molecules present in CLL cells with high expression or mutation, which associated with the prognosis, anti-apoptosis, drug-resistance and so on. In this article, the recent advances of studies on CLL and Notch pathway, including the expression level of Notch molecules in CLL cells, the anti-apoptosis and drug-resistance of Notch molecules in CLL cells, the mutation of Notch molecules in CLL cells, the relation of Notch molecules with CLL prognosis and the application prospect of Notch molecule inhibitors are reviewed.