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Pourhassan H, Murphy L, Aldoss I. Glucocorticoid Therapy in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Navigating Short-Term and Long-Term Effects and Optimal Regimen Selection. Curr Hematol Malig Rep 2024; 19:175-185. [PMID: 38867099 DOI: 10.1007/s11899-024-00735-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Glucocorticoids are a mainstay in acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment and lack of early response is predictive for overall disease prognosis. Given the vital position of glucocorticoids and well known long and short-term side effects associated with differing glucocorticoids, we aim to highlight the wide breadth of historical and more contemporary data to describe the current landscape of glucocorticoid use in this arena. RECENT FINDINGS Emerging studies aim to overcome issues such as steroid resistance and to optimize the antileukemic effects of glucocorticoids while aiming to mitigate the risks and side effects associated with their exposure. Glucocorticoids have and likely always will be a fundamental component of acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment and understanding how to navigate short- and long-term effects and how to optimize regimens is at the heart of continued treatment success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoda Pourhassan
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Lindsey Murphy
- Department of Pediatrics, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Ibrahim Aldoss
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA.
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2
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Bell HL, Blair HJ, Jepson Gosling SJ, Galler M, Astley D, Moorman AV, Heidenreich O, Veal GJ, van Delft FW, Lunec J, Irving JAE. Combination p53 activation and BCL-x L/BCL-2 inhibition as a therapeutic strategy in high-risk and relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia 2024; 38:1223-1235. [PMID: 38600316 PMCID: PMC11147763 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02241-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Due to the rarity of TP53 mutations in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), p53 re-activation by antagonism of the p53-MDM2 interaction represents a potential therapeutic strategy for the majority of ALL. Here, we demonstrate the potent antileukemic activity of the MDM2 antagonist idasanutlin in high-risk and relapsed ex vivo coculture models of TP53 wildtype ALL (n = 40). Insufficient clinical responses to monotherapy MDM2 inhibitors in other cancers prompted us to explore optimal drugs for combination therapy. Utilizing high-throughput combination screening of 1971 FDA-approved and clinically advanced compounds, we identified BCL-xL/BCL-2 inhibitor navitoclax as the most promising idasanutlin combination partner. The idasanutlin-navitoclax combination was synergistically lethal to prognostically-poor, primary-derived and primary patient blasts in ex vivo coculture, and reduced leukemia burden in two very high-risk ALL xenograft models at drug concentrations safely attained in patients; in fact, the navitoclax plasma concentrations were equivalent to those attained in contemporary "low-dose" navitoclax clinical trials. We demonstrate a preferential engagement of cell death over G1 cell cycle arrest, mechanistically implicating MCL-1-binding pro-apoptotic sensitizer NOXA. The proposed combination of two clinical-stage compounds independently under clinical evaluation for ALL is of high clinical relevance and warrants consideration for the treatment of patients with high-risk and relapsed ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayden L Bell
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Helen J Blair
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Samantha J Jepson Gosling
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Martin Galler
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Astley
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Anthony V Moorman
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Olaf Heidenreich
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Gareth J Veal
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Frederik W van Delft
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - John Lunec
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Julie A E Irving
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
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Rinella SP, Bell HC, Hess NJ, Hoang NM, Nguyen TT, Turicek DP, Shi L, Rui L, LaBelle JL, Capitini CM. Combination fedratinib and venetoclax has activity against human B-ALL with high FLT3 expression. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.07.544058. [PMID: 37333339 PMCID: PMC10274796 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.07.544058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Treatment of relapsed/refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remains a challenge, particularly in patients who do not respond to traditional chemotherapy or immunotherapy. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of fedratinib, a semi selective JAK2 inhibitor and venetoclax, a selective BCL-2 inhibitor, on human B-ALL using both single-agent and combinatorial treatments. The combination treatment of fedratinib and venetoclax improved killing of the human B-ALL cell lines RS4;11 and SUPB-15 in vitro over single-agent treatments. This combinatorial effect was not detected in the human B-ALL cell line NALM-6, which was less responsive to fedratinib due to the absence of Flt3 expression. The combination treatment induces a unique gene expression profile relative to single-agent treatment and with an enrichment in apoptotic pathways. Finally, the combination treatment was superior to single agent treatment in an in vivo xenograft model of human B-ALL, with a two-week treatment regimen significantly improving overall survival while inducing CD19 expression. Overall, our data demonstrates the efficacy of a combinatorial treatment strategy of fedratinib and venetoclax against human B-ALL expressing high levels of Flt3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean P Rinella
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - Haley C Bell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - Nicholas J Hess
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - Nguyet-Minh Hoang
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - Thao Trang Nguyen
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - David P Turicek
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - Lei Shi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - Lixin Rui
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - James L LaBelle
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Christian M Capitini
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
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Ferrari A, Cangini D, Ghelli Luserna di Rorà A, Condorelli A, Pugliese M, Schininà G, Cosentino S, Fonzi E, Domizio C, Simonetti G, Leotta S, Milone G, Martinelli G. Venetoclax durable response in adult relapsed/refractory Philadelphia-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia with JAK/STAT pathway alterations. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1165308. [PMID: 37287455 PMCID: PMC10242111 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1165308] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
High-risk relapsed/refractory adult Philadelphia-negative (Ph-) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is a great challenge due to limited possibilities to achieve and maintain a complete response. This also applies to cases with extramedullary (EM) involvement that have poor outcomes and no accepted standard therapeutic approaches. The incidence of EM localization in relapsed/refractory B-ALL is poorly investigated: data on patients treated with blinatumomab reported a 40% rate. Some responses were reported in EM patients with relapsed/refractory B-ALL treated with inotuzumab ozogamicin or CAR-T. However, molecular mechanisms of response or refractoriness are usually investigated neither at the medullary nor at EM sites. In the complex scenario of pluri-relapsed/refractory B-ALL patients, new target therapies are needed. Our analysis started with the case of an adult pluri-relapsed Ph- B-ALL patient, poorly sensitive to inotuzumab ozogamicin, donor lymphocyte infusions, and blinatumomab in EM disease, who achieved a durable/complete response after treatment with the BCL2-inhibitor venetoclax. The molecular characterization of medullary and EM samples revealed a tyrosine kinase domain JAK1 mutation in the bone marrow and EM samples at relapse. By comparing the expression level of BCL2- and JAK/STAT pathway-related genes between the patient samples, 136 adult JAK1 wt B-ALL, and 15 healthy controls, we identified differentially expressed genes, including LIFR, MTOR, SOCS1/2, and BCL2/BCL2L1, that are variably modulated at diverse time points and might explain the prolonged response to venetoclax (particularly in the EM site, which was only partially affected by previous therapies). Our results suggest that the deep molecular characterization of both medullary and EM samples is fundamental to identifying effective and personalized targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ferrari
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Delia Cangini
- Hematology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Andrea Ghelli Luserna di Rorà
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
- Fondazione Pisana per Scienza ONLUS, Pisa, Italy
| | - Annalisa Condorelli
- Divisione di Ematologia con Trapianto Emopoietico—Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico- San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Marta Pugliese
- Divisione di Ematologia con Trapianto Emopoietico—Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico- San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Schininà
- Divisione di Ematologia con Trapianto Emopoietico—Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico- San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Eugenio Fonzi
- Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Chiara Domizio
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Ferrara University, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giorgia Simonetti
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
| | - Salvatore Leotta
- Divisione di Ematologia con Trapianto Emopoietico—Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico- San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Milone
- Divisione di Ematologia con Trapianto Emopoietico—Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico “G. Rodolico- San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Scientific Directorate, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Meldola, Italy
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Munir F, He J, Connors J, Garcia M, Gibson A, McCall D, Nunez C, Dinh CN, Robusto L, Roth M, Khazal S, Tewari P, Cuglievan B. Translational advances in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: narrative review of current and emerging molecular and immunotherapies. Transl Pediatr 2023; 12:487-502. [PMID: 37035397 PMCID: PMC10080491 DOI: 10.21037/tp-22-656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Objective Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common hematologic malignancy of lymphoid origin in children. The prognosis for newly diagnosed ALL in the pediatric population is generally favorable, with a 5-year overall survival rate of more than 90%. Though conventional therapy has led to meaningful improvements in cure rates for new-onset pediatric ALL, one-third of patients still experience a relapse or refractory disease, contributing to a significant cause of pediatric cancer-related mortality. Methods An extensive literature review was undertaken via various databases of medical literature, focusing on both results of larger clinical trials, but also with evaluation of recent abstract publications at large hematologic conferences. Key Content and Findings Remission is achievable in most of these patients by re-induction with currently available therapies, but the long-term overall survival rate is deemed suboptimal and remains a therapeutic challenge. As part of never-ceasing efforts to improve pediatric ALL outcomes, newer modalities, including targeted molecular therapies as well as immunotherapy, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, are currently being employed to increase treatment effectiveness as well as lessen the side effects from conventional chemotherapy. These approaches explore the use of early genome-based disease characterization and medications developed against actionable molecular targets. Conclusions Additional clinical research is nonetheless required to learn more about the potentially harmful effects of targeted therapies and investigate the possibility of these agents replacing or decreasing the use of conventional chemotherapy in treating pediatric ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faryal Munir
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jiasen He
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeremy Connors
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Miriam Garcia
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Amber Gibson
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David McCall
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Cesar Nunez
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christine Nguyen Dinh
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lindsay Robusto
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael Roth
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sajad Khazal
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Priti Tewari
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Branko Cuglievan
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hematology Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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The Emerging Role of Venetoclax-Based Treatments in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810957. [PMID: 36142863 PMCID: PMC9504828 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Venetoclax, a B-cell lymphoma (BCL-2) inhibitor, in combination with hypomethylating agents has become the new standard of care in elderly and unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia, with significantly improved overall survival and quality of life. Studies of venetoclax combined with high-dose chemotherapy are emerging with evidence of higher rates of molecular remission. Recently, a growing number of publications bring forth the use of venetoclax in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In the current review, we present the biological rationale of BCL-2 inhibition in ALL, how the interplay of BH3 proteins modulate the response and the current clinical experience with various combinations.
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