The tyrosine phosphatase TC48 interacts with and inactivates the oncogenic fusion protein BCR-Abl but not cellular Abl

Current Views on the Interplay between Tyrosine Kinases and Phosphatases in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Simple Summary

The chromosomal alteration t(9;22) generating the BCR-ABL1 fusion protein represents the principal feature that distinguishes some types of leukemia. An increasing number of articles have focused the attention on the relevance of protein phosphatases and their potential role in the control of BCR-ABL1-dependent or -independent signaling in different areas related to the biology of chronic myeloid leukemia. Herein, we discuss how tyrosine and serine/threonine protein phosphatases may interact with protein kinases, in order to regulate proliferative signal cascades, quiescence and self-renewals on leukemic stem cells, and drug-resistance, indicating how BCR-ABL1 can (directly or indirectly) affect these critical cells behaviors. We provide an updated review of the literature on the function of protein phosphatases and their regulation mechanism in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Abstract

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by BCR-ABL1 oncogene expression. This dysregulated protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK) is known as the principal driver of the disease and is targeted by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Extensive documentation has elucidated how the transformation of malignant cells is characterized by multiple genetic/epigenetic changes leading to the loss of tumor-suppressor genes function or proto-oncogenes expression. The impairment of adequate levels of substrates phosphorylation, thus affecting the balance PTKs and protein phosphatases (PPs), represents a well-established cellular mechanism to escape from self-limiting signals. In this review, we focus our attention on the characterization of and interactions between PTKs and PPs, emphasizing their biological roles in disease expansion, the regulation of LSCs and TKI resistance. We decided to separate those PPs that have been validated in primary cell models or leukemia mouse models from those whose studies have been performed only in cell lines (and, thus, require validation), as there may be differences in the manner that the associated pathways are modified under these two conditions. This review summarizes the roles of diverse PPs, with hope that better knowledge of the interplay among phosphatases and kinases will eventually result in a better understanding of this disease and contribute to its eradication.

Elucidation of protein interactions necessary for the maintenance of the BCR-ABL signaling complex

Many patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in deep remission experience return of clinical disease after withdrawal of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). This suggests signaling of inactive BCR-ABL, which allows the survival of cancer cells, and relapse. We show that TKI treatment inhibits catalytic activity of BCR-ABL, but does not dissolve BCR-ABL core signaling complex, consisting of CRKL, SHC1, GRB2, SOS1, cCBL, p85a-PI3K, STS1 and SHIP2. Peptide microarray and co-immunoprecipitation results demonstrate that CRKL binds to proline-rich regions located in C-terminal, intrinsically disordered region of BCR-ABL, that SHC1 requires pleckstrin homology, src homology and tyrosine kinase domains of BCR-ABL for binding, and that BCR-ABL sequence motif located in disordered region around phosphorylated tyrosine 177 mediates binding of three core complex members, i.e., GRB2, SOS1, and cCBL. Further, SHIP2 binds to the src homology and tyrosine kinase domains of BCR-ABL and its inositol phosphatase activity contributes to BCR-ABL-mediated phosphorylation of SHC1. Together, this study characterizes protein-protein interactions within the BCR-ABL core complex and determines the contribution of particular BCR-ABL domains to downstream signaling. Understanding the structure and dynamics of BCR-ABL interactome is critical for the development of drugs targeting integrity of the BCR-ABL core complex.

p19INK4d inhibits proliferation and enhances imatinib efficacy through BCR-ABL signaling pathway in chronic myeloid leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a kind of myeloproliferative disorder caused by a constitutively active BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), imatinib and its derivatives, have achieved great progress in the treatment of CML. However, many CML patients do not respond to TKIs alone. p19^INK4d, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, plays important roles in proliferation, DNA damage repair, apoptosis and cell differentiation, but its role in CML is unknown. Herein, we found that the expression of p19^INK4d in CML patients was significantly lower than that in healthy controls. p19^INK4d overexpression inhibits cell proliferation through cell cycle arrest, and cooperates with imatinib to inhibit CML more effectively in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, p19^INK4d decreased the expression of BCR-ABL and its downstream molecules p-Mek1/2, moreover, the expression of Gli-1, c-myc, MUC1, Shh and TC48 also reduced significantly. Collectively, p19^INK4d inhibits proliferation and enhances imatinib efficacy in the treatment of CML. These findings maybe have implications for developing potential targets to increase imatinib sensitivity for CML.

PTPRG and PTPRC modulate nilotinib response in chronic myeloid leukemia cells

The introduction of second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting the protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK) BCR-ABL1 has improved treatment response in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, in some patients response still remains suboptimal. Protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are natural counter-actors of PTK activity and can affect TKI sensitivity, but the impact of PTPs on treatment response to second-generation TKIs is unknown. We assessed the mRNA expression level of 38 PTPs in 66 newly diagnosed CML patients and analyzed the potential relation with treatment outcome after 9 months of nilotinib medication. A significantly positive association with response was observed for higher PTPN13, PTPRA, PTPRC (also known as CD45), PTPRG, and PTPRM expression. Selected PTPs were then subjected to a functional analysis in CML cell line models using PTP gene knockout by CRISPR/Cas9 technology or PTP overexpression. These analyses revealed PTPRG positively and PTPRC negatively modulating nilotinib response. Consistently, PTPRG negatively and PTPRC positively affected BCR-ABL1 dependent transformation. We identified BCR-ABL1 signaling events, which were affected by modulating PTP levels or nilotinib treatment in the same direction. In conclusion, the PTP status of CML cells is important for the response to second generation TKIs and may help in optimizing therapeutic strategies.

Use of Dominant-Negative/Substrate Trapping PTP Mutations to Search for PTP Interactors/Substrates

Phosphorylation of proteins on tyrosine residues is the consequence of coordinated action of tyrosine kinases (TKs), and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). Together, they regulate intermolecular interactions, subcellular localization, and activity of a variety of proteins. The level of total protein-associated tyrosine phosphorylation in eukaryotic cells is only a small fraction of the total phosphorylation. PTPs, which have high specific activity compared to tyrosine kinases, play an important role in maintaining the tyrosine phosphorylation state of proteins and regulate signal transduction pathways and cellular responses. PTPs depend on specific invariant residues that enable binding to substrates phosphorylated at tyrosine and aid catalytic activity. Identification of PTP substrates has helped understand their role in distinct intracellular signaling pathways. Because of their high specific activity, the interaction between tyrosine phosphatases and their substrates is often very transient in the cellular context, and therefore identification of physiological substrates has been difficult. Single-site mutations in the enzymes stabilize interaction between the enzyme and its targets and have been used extensively to identify substrates. The mutations are either of the catalytic cysteine (Cys) residue or other invariant residues and have been classified as substrate-trapping mutants (STMs). These mutants often serve as dominant negatives that can inactivate effector functions of a specific PTP within cells. Considering their association with human disorders, inhibiting specific PTPs is important therapeutically. Since the catalytic domains are largely conserved, developing small-molecule inhibitors to a particular enzyme has proven difficult and therefore alternate strategies to block functions of individual enzymes are seriously being investigated. We provide a description of methods that will be useful to design strategies of using dominant-negative and substrate-trapping mutants for identifying novel interacting partners and substrates of PTPs.

The role of TC-PTP (PTPN2) in modulating sensitivity to imatinib and interferon-α in CML cell line, KT-1 cells

T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TC-PTP, also known as PTPN2) is a negative regulator of the JAK/STAT pathway. STAT5 is activated by BCR-ABL kinase and STAT1 is an important transcription factor for interferon (IFN)-α-induced signaling in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We used siRNA to delete TC-PTP in the CML cell line, KT-1, and examined changes in the sensitivity to imatinib and IFN-α. Suppression of TC-PTP induced activation of STAT5, leading to imatinib resistance, while prolonged phosphorylation of STAT1 was induced by IFN-α, triggering cell death in KT-1 cells. These findings suggest that TC-PTP modulates sensitivity to imatinib and IFN-α in CML.

Emerging role of tyrosine phosphatase, TCPTP, in the organelles of the early secretory pathway

T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase, TCPTP, is a ubiquitously expressed non-receptor type tyrosine phosphatase. There are two splice variants of TCPTP, TC48 and TC45, which differ in their sub-cellular localizations and functions. TC45 is a nuclear protein, which has both nuclear and cytoplasmic substrates, and is involved in many signaling events including endocytic recycling of platelet-derived growth factor β-receptor. TC48 is a predominantly endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localizing protein, which dephosphorylates some of the substrates of TC45 at the ER. However, recently few specific substrates for TC48 have been identified. These include C3G (RapGEF1), syntaxin 17 and BCR-Abl. TC48 moves from the ER to post-ER compartments, the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) and Golgi, and it is retrieved back to the ER. The retrieval of ER proteins from post-ER compartments is generally believed as a mechanism of targeting these proteins to the ER. However, it is possible that this shuttling of TC48 serves to regulate signaling in the early secretory pathway. For example, TC48 dephosphorylates phosphorylated C3G at the Golgi and inhibits neurite outgrowth. TC48 interacts with and dephosphorylates syntaxin 17, which is an ER and ERGIC-localizing protein involved in vesicle transport. A yeast two-hybrid screen identified several unique interacting partners of TC48 belonging to two groups - proteins involved in vesicle trafficking and proteins involved in cell adhesion. These interacting proteins could be substrates or regulators of TC48 function and localization. Thus, the role of TC48 seems to be more diverse, which is still to be explored.