1
|
Yu X, Wang Y, Tan J, Li Y, Yang P, Liu X, Lai J, Zhang Y, Cai L, Gu Y, Xu L, Li Y. Inhibition of NRF2 enhances the acute myeloid leukemia cell death induced by venetoclax via the ferroptosis pathway. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:35. [PMID: 38238299 PMCID: PMC10796764 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01800-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Venetoclax, an inhibitor that selectively targets B cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) that has been approved for treating adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in combination with hypomethylating agents. However, its short duration of response and emergence of resistance are significant issues. In this study, we found that the sensitivity of AML cells to venetoclax was considerably enhanced by ML385, an inhibitor of the ferroptosis factor nuclear transcription factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2). Using AML samples, we verified that NRF2 and its target gene ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1) were highly expressed in patients with AML and correlated with poor prognosis. Downregulation of NRF2 could inhibit FTH1 expression and significantly enhance the venetoclax-induced labile iron pool and lipid peroxidation. By contrast, NRF2 overexpression or administration of the reactive oxygen species inhibitor N-acetylcysteine and vitamin E could effectively suppress the anti-AML effects of ML385+venetoclax. Furthermore, the ferroptosis inducer erastin increased the anti-AML effects of venetoclax. Our study demonstrated that NRF2 inhibition could enhance the AML cell death induced by venetoclax via the ferroptosis pathway. Thus, the combination of ML385 with venetoclax may offer a favorable strategy for AML treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xibao Yu
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Guangzhou Municipality Tianhe Nuoya Bio-engineering Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, 510663, China
| | - Yan Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Jiaxiong Tan
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention & Therapy of Tianjin, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yuchen Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Pengyue Yang
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xuan Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Jing Lai
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Letong Cai
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yinfeng Gu
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Ling Xu
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Yangqiu Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yi ZN, Chen XK, Ma ACH. Modeling leukemia with zebrafish (Danio rerio): Towards precision medicine. Exp Cell Res 2022; 421:113401. [PMID: 36306826 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer characterized by high genetic heterogeneity and fatality. While chemotherapy remains the primary form of treatment for leukemia, its effectiveness was profoundly diminished by the genetic heterogeneity and cytogenetic abnormalities of leukemic cells. Therefore, there is an unmet need to develop precision medicine for leukemia with distinct genetic backgrounds. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a freshwater fish with exceptional feasibility in genome editing, is a powerful tool for rapid human cancer modeling. In the past decades, zebrafish have been adopted in modeling human leukemia, exploring the molecular mechanisms of underlying genetic abnormalities, and discovering novel therapeutic agents. Although many recurrent mutations of leukemia have been modeled in zebrafish for pathological study and drug discovery, its great potential in leukemia modeling was not yet fully exploited, particularly in precision medicine. In this review, we evaluated the current zebrafish models of leukemia/pre-leukemia and genetic techniques and discussed the potential of zebrafish models with novel techniques, which may contribute to the development of zebrafish as a disease model for precision medicine in treating leukemia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Ni Yi
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiang-Ke Chen
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alvin Chun-Hang Ma
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review how understanding the fitness and comorbidity burden of patients, and molecular landscape of underlying acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) at the time of diagnosis is now integral to treatment. RECENT FINDINGS The upfront identification of patients' fitness and molecular profile facilitates selection of targeted and novel agents, enables risk stratification, allows consideration of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in high-risk patients, and provides treatment selection for older (age ≥ 75) or otherwise unfit patients who may not tolerate conventional treatment. The use of measurable residual disease (MRD) assessment improves outcome prediction and can also guide therapeutic strategies such as chemotherapy maintenance and transplant. In recent years, several novel drugs have received FDA approval for treating patients with AML with or without specific mutations. A doublet and triplet combination of molecular targeted and other novel treatments have resulted in high response rates in early trials. Following the initial success in AML, novel drugs are undergoing clinical trials in MDS. Unprecedented advances have been made in precision medicine approaches in AML and MDS. However, lack of durable responses and long-term disease control in many patients still present significant challenges, which can only be met, to some extent, with innovative combination strategies throughout the course of treatment from induction to consolidation and maintenance.
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang F, Huang X, Sun Y, Li Z, Sun R, Zhao T, Wang M, Yan C, Liu P. Sulforaphane regulates the proliferation of leukemia stem-like cells via Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 919:174824. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.174824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
|
5
|
Zeng X, Yao D, Liu L, Zhang Y, Lai J, Zhong J, Zha X, Lu Y, Jin Z, Chen S, Li Y, Xu L. Terminal differentiation of bone marrow NK cells and increased circulation of TIGIT + NK cells may be related to poor outcome in acute myeloid leukemia. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol 2021; 18:456-464. [PMID: 34811925 DOI: 10.1111/ajco.13723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM In order to further understand the feature of natural killer cell (NK) dysfunction in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), The distribution of NK cell subset the expression of the inhibitory receptors immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT), killer cell lectin-like receptor (KLRG1), and the expression of maturation marker CD57 in NK cell subsets and their correlation with patient outcomes were analyzed in this study. METHODS We collected peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) samples from de novo AML (AML-DN) patients, patients who achieved complete remission after chemotherapy (AML-CR), and healthy individuals. An eight-color flow cytometry panel was used to identify different NK subsets and their expression of TIGIT, CD57 and KLRG1. RESULTS Decreased percentage of CD56dim CD16+ NK cells was found only in the PB of AML-DN and AML-CR patients but not in the BM. The expression frequency of TIGIT and KLRG1 was elevated on NK cells from the PB of AML-DN patients, while it was recovered in AML-CR patients. Moreover, a higher percentage of CD57+ CD56dim CD16+ NK cells, representing a terminally differentiated NK subset with strong cytotoxic capacity but defective replication potential, was detected in the BM of AML-DN patients and predicted sub-optimal survival for patients. CONCLUSION The results indicated that the NK cell subsets in the PB of AML patients had an exhaustion phenotype, while the BM NK cells had a terminally differentiated phenotype, which correlated with short survival for AML patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangbo Zeng
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.,Department of Hematology; First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Danlin Yao
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.,Department of Hematology; First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Lian Liu
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.,Department of Hematology; First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yikai Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.,Department of Hematology; First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Jing Lai
- Department of Hematology; First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Jun Zhong
- Department of Hematology; First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xianfeng Zha
- Department of clinical laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yuhong Lu
- Department of Hematology; First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Zhenyi Jin
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.,Department of Hematology; First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Ling Xu
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education; Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.,Department of Hematology; First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Xu L, Liu L, Yao D, Zeng X, Zhang Y, Lai J, Zhong J, Zha X, Zheng R, Lu Y, Li M, Jin Z, Hebbar Subramanyam S, Chen S, Huang X, Li Y. PD-1 and TIGIT Are Highly Co-Expressed on CD8 + T Cells in AML Patient Bone Marrow. Front Oncol 2021; 11:686156. [PMID: 34490086 PMCID: PMC8416522 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.686156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the great success of immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment for multiple cancers, evidence for the clinical use of ICIs in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains inadequate. Further exploration of the causes of immune evasion in the bone marrow (BM) environment, the primary leukemia site, and peripheral blood (PB) and understanding how T cells are affected by AML induction chemotherapy or the influence of age may help to select patients who may benefit from ICI treatment. In this study, we comprehensively compared the distribution of PD-1 and TIGIT, two of the most well-studied IC proteins, in PB and BM T cells from AML patients at the stages of initial diagnosis, complete remission (CR), and relapse-refractory (R/R) disease after chemotherapy. Our results show that PD-1 was generally expressed higher in PB and BM T cells from de novo (DN) and R/R patients, while it was partially recovered in CR patients. The expression of TIGIT was increased in the BM of CD8+ T cells from DN and R/R patients, but it did not recover with CR. In addition, according to age correlation analysis, we found that elderly AML patients possess an even higher percentage of PD-1 and TIGIT single-positive CD8+ T cells in PB and BM, which indicate greater impairment of T cell function in elderly patients. In addition, we found that both DN and R/R patients accumulate a higher frequency of PD-1+ and TIGIT+ CD8+ T cells in BM than in corresponding PB, indicating that a more immunosuppressive microenvironment in leukemia BM may promote disease progression. Collectively, our study may help guide the combined use of anti-PD-1 and anti-TIGIT antibodies for treating elderly AML patients and pave the way for the exploration of strategies for reviving the immunosuppressive BM microenvironment to improve the survival of AML patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Xu
- The Clinical Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lian Liu
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Danlin Yao
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangbo Zeng
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yikai Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Laboratory Center, Tianhe Nuoya Bio-Engineering Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Lai
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Zhong
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianfeng Zha
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China Guangzhou, China
| | - Runhui Zheng
- Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China, China
| | - Yuhong Lu
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Minming Li
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenyi Jin
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sudheendra Hebbar Subramanyam
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yangqiu Li
- The Clinical Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Institute of Hematology, School of Medicine; Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Štefík P, Annušová A, Lakatoš B, Elefantová K, Čepcová L, Hofbauerová M, Kálosi A, Jergel M, Majková E, Šiffalovič P. Targeting acute myeloid leukemia cells by CD33 receptor-specific MoS 2-based nanoconjugates. Biomed Mater 2021; 16. [PMID: 34280914 DOI: 10.1088/1748-605x/ac15b1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly aggressive type of cancer caused by the uncontrolled proliferation of undifferentiated myeloblasts, affecting the bone marrow and blood. Systemic chemotherapy is considered the primary treatment strategy; unfortunately, healthy cells are also affected to a large extent, leading to severe side effects of this treatment. Targeted drug therapies are becoming increasingly popular in modern medicine, as they bypass normal tissues and cells. Two-dimensional MoS2-based nanomaterials have attracted attention in the biomedical field as promising agents for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Cancer cells typically (over)express distinctive cytoplasmic membrane-anchored or -spanning protein-based structures (e.g., receptors, enzymes) that distinguish them from healthy, non-cancerous cells. Targeting cancer cells via tumor-specific markers using MoS2-based nanocarriers loaded with labels or drugs can significantly improve specificity and reduce side effects of such treatment. SKM-1 is an established AML cell line that has been employed in various bio-research applications. However, to date, it has not been used as the subject of studies on selective cancer targeting by inorganic nanomaterials. Here, we demonstrate an efficient targeting of AML cells using MoS2nanoflakes prepared by a facile exfoliation route and functionalized with anti-CD33 antibody that binds to CD33 receptors expressed by SKM-1 cells. Microscopic analyses by confocal laser scanning microscopy supplemented by label-free confocal Raman microscopy proved that (anti-CD33)-MoS2conjugates were present on the cell surface and within SKM-1 cells, presumably having been internalized via CD33-mediated endocytosis. Furthermore, the cellular uptake of SKM-1 specific (anti-CD33)-MoS2conjugates assessed by flow cytometry analysis was significantly higher compared with the cellular uptake of SKM-1 nonspecific (anti-GPC3)-MoS2conjugates. Our results indicate the importance of appropriate functionalization of MoS2nanomaterials by tumor-recognizing elements that significantly increase their specificity and hence suggest the utilization of MoS2-based nanomaterials in the diagnosis and therapy of AML.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pavol Štefík
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 81237 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Adriana Annušová
- Institute of Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia.,Centre for Advanced Materials Application, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Boris Lakatoš
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 81237 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Elefantová
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 81237 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lucia Čepcová
- Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, 81237 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Hofbauerová
- Institute of Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Anna Kálosi
- Centre for Advanced Materials Application, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Matej Jergel
- Institute of Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia.,Centre for Advanced Materials Application, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Eva Majková
- Institute of Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia.,Centre for Advanced Materials Application, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Peter Šiffalovič
- Institute of Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia.,Centre for Advanced Materials Application, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84511 Bratislava, Slovakia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Neaga A, Bagacean C, Tempescul A, Jimbu L, Mesaros O, Blag C, Tomuleasa C, Bocsan C, Gaman M, Zdrenghea M. MicroRNAs Associated With a Good Prognosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Their Effect on Macrophage Polarization. Front Immunol 2021; 11:582915. [PMID: 33519805 PMCID: PMC7845488 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.582915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive myeloid malignancy with poor outcomes despite very intensive therapeutic approaches. For the majority of patients which are unfit and treated less intensively, the prognosis is even worse. There has been unspectacular progress in outcome improvement over the last decades and the development of new approaches is of tremendous interest. The tumor microenvironment is credited with an important role in supporting cancer growth, including leukemogenesis. Macrophages are part of the tumor microenvironment and their contribution in this setting is increasingly being deciphered, these cells being credited with a tumor supporting role. Data on macrophage role and polarization in leukemia is scarce. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have a role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, by impending translation and promoting degradation of messenger RNAs. They are important modulators of cellular pathways, playing major roles in normal hematopoietic differentiation. miRNA expression is significantly correlated with the prognosis of hematopoietic malignancies, including AML. Oncogenic miRNAs correlate with poor prognosis, while tumor suppressor miRNAs, which inhibit the expression of proto-oncogenes, are correlated with a favorable prognosis. miRNAs are proposed as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis and are regarded as therapeutic approaches in many cancers, including AML. miRNAs with epigenetic or modulatory activity, as well as with synergistic activity with chemotherapeutic agents, proved to be promising therapeutic targets in experimental, pre-clinical approaches. The clinical availability of emerging compounds with mimicking or suppressor activity provides the opportunity for future therapeutic targeting of miRNAs. The present paper is focusing on miRNAs which, according to current knowledge, favorably impact on AML outcomes, being regarded as tumor suppressors, and reviews their role in macrophage polarization. We are focusing on miRNA expression in the setting of AML, but data on correlations between miRNA expression and macrophage polarization is mostly coming from studies involving normal tissue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Neaga
- Department of Hematology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cristina Bagacean
- Department of Hematology, Brest University Medical School Hospital, Brest, France.,U1227 B Lymphocytes and Autoimmunity, University of Brest, INSERM, IBSAM, Brest, France
| | - Adrian Tempescul
- Department of Hematology, Brest University Medical School Hospital, Brest, France.,U1227 B Lymphocytes and Autoimmunity, University of Brest, INSERM, IBSAM, Brest, France
| | - Laura Jimbu
- Department of Hematology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Oana Mesaros
- Department of Hematology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cristina Blag
- Department of Pediatrics, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ciprian Tomuleasa
- Department of Hematology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,Department of Hematology, Ion Chiricuta Oncology Institute, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Corina Bocsan
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mihaela Gaman
- Department of Hematology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mihnea Zdrenghea
- Department of Hematology, Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.,Department of Hematology, Ion Chiricuta Oncology Institute, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Venkatakrishnan K, van der Graaf PH, Holstein SA. The Changing Face of Oncology Research, Drug Development, and Clinical Practice: Toward Patient-Focused Precision Therapeutics. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2021; 108:399-404. [PMID: 33439492 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.1979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karthik Venkatakrishnan
- EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts, USA.,A Business of, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Sarah A Holstein
- Division of Oncology and Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Molecular Monitoring in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients Undergoing Matched Unrelated Donor - Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Single Center Experience. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 41:5-12. [PMID: 33500364 DOI: 10.2478/prilozi-2020-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases is a complex, multi-modality process and, though much of its clinical implications at different points are extensively studied, it remains even now a challenging area. It is a disease the biology of which governs the modality of MRD assessment; in patients harboring specific molecular targets, high sensitivity techniques can be applied. On the other hand, relapse is considered as the leading cause of treatment failure in AML patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS Since November 2018 until June 2020, 10 AML patients underwent matched unrelated donor (MUD) HSCT at the University Clinic of Hematology-Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia. Molecular markers were identified in a total of 4 patients; 3 patients expressed chimeric fusion transcripts; two RUNX-RUNX1T1 and one for CBFB-MYH11. One patient harbored mutation in the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (CEBPA). Post-transplant MRD kinetics was evaluated by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) or multiplex fluorescent-PCR every three months during the first two years after the transplantation. RESULTS MRD negativity was achieved in three pre-transplant MRD positive patients by the sixth month of HSCT. They sustained hematological and molecular remission for 19, 9 and 7 months, respectively. The fourth patient died due to transplant-related complications. CONCLUSION According to our experience, when molecularly-defined AML patients undergo HSCT, regular MRD monitoring helps predict impending relapse and direct future treatment strategies.
Collapse
|