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Ahn IE, Davids MS. Therapeutic targeting of apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Semin Hematol 2024; 61:109-118. [PMID: 38538512 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminhematol.2024.01.015] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Therapeutic targeting of apoptosis with small molecule B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibition with venetoclax is highly efficacious in CLL, leading to sustained deep responses, particularly among patients with treatment-naïve disease with favorable prognostic markers. Patients with unfavorable genetic characteristics such as TP53 aberration and unmutated IGHV may also derive durable benefits, but their remission duration after time-limited venetoclax-containing combination therapy is shorter, particularly in patients with relapsed/refractory disease. Emerging data indicate that the context of disease progression after initial treatment with venetoclax may define the success of re-treatment with venetoclax. Specifically, continuous venetoclax exposure may select for resistant disease due to genetic mechanisms such as BCL2 mutations and functional resistance mechanisms such as hyperphosphorylation of BCL-2 family proteins, which decrease the affinity of venetoclax binding to the target or lead to increased MCL-1 dependence and concomitant decrease in BCL-2 dependence. These patients may be best served by switching to a different class of targeted agents at the time of progression. In contrast, relapsed CLL that arises while being off therapy after a period of time-limited venetoclax-based regimens maintains sensitivity to re-treatment with venetoclax for the majority of patients. Novel strategies related to therapeutic targeting of apoptosis include next-generation BCL-2 inhibitors with improved potency and pharmacokinetic profiles, direct targeting of anti-apoptotic BH3 family proteins beyond BCL-2 such as MCL-1, and indirect targeting of MCL-1 through mechanisms such as small molecule cyclin-dependent kinase 9 inhibitors.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/metabolism
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/pathology
- Apoptosis/drug effects
- Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism
- Sulfonamides/therapeutic use
- Sulfonamides/pharmacology
- Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic/therapeutic use
- Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic/pharmacology
- Molecular Targeted Therapy/methods
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Inhye E Ahn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Matthew S Davids
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.
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2
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Tantawy SI, Timofeeva N, Sarkar A, Gandhi V. Targeting MCL-1 protein to treat cancer: opportunities and challenges. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1226289. [PMID: 37601693 PMCID: PMC10436212 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1226289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Evading apoptosis has been linked to tumor development and chemoresistance. One mechanism for this evasion is the overexpression of prosurvival B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family proteins, which gives cancer cells a survival advantage. Mcl-1, a member of the BCL-2 family, is among the most frequently amplified genes in cancer. Targeting myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) protein is a successful strategy to induce apoptosis and overcome tumor resistance to chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Various strategies to inhibit the antiapoptotic activity of MCL-1 protein, including transcription, translation, and the degradation of MCL-1 protein, have been tested. Neutralizing MCL-1's function by targeting its interactions with other proteins via BCL-2 interacting mediator (BIM)S2A has been shown to be an equally effective approach. Encouraged by the design of venetoclax and its efficacy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, scientists have developed other BCL-2 homology (BH3) mimetics-particularly MCL-1 inhibitors (MCL-1i)-that are currently in clinical trials for various cancers. While extensive reviews of MCL-1i are available, critical analyses focusing on the challenges of MCL-1i and their optimization are lacking. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge regarding clinically relevant MCL-1i and focus on predictive biomarkers of response, mechanisms of resistance, major issues associated with use of MCL-1i, and the future use of and maximization of the benefits from these agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shady I. Tantawy
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Natalia Timofeeva
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Aloke Sarkar
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Varsha Gandhi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States
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3
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Lin JL, Fang X, Li JX, Chen ZW, Wu WK, Guo XX, Liu NJ, Huang JF, Chen FY, Wang LJ, Xu B, Martin C, Chen XY, Huang JQ. Dirigent gene editing of gossypol enantiomers for toxicity-depleted cotton seeds. NATURE PLANTS 2023; 9:605-615. [PMID: 36928775 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-023-01376-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Axial chirality of biaryls can generate varied bioactivities. Gossypol is a binaphthyl compound made by cotton plants. Of its two axially chiral isomers, (-)-gossypol is the bioactive form in mammals and has antispermatogenic activity, and its accumulation in cotton seeds poses health concerns. Here we identified two extracellular dirigent proteins (DIRs) from Gossypium hirsutum, GhDIR5 and GhDIR6, which impart the hemigossypol oxidative coupling into (-)- and (+)-gossypol, respectively. To reduce cotton seed toxicity, we disrupted GhDIR5 by genome editing, which eliminated (-)-gossypol but had no effects on other phytoalexins, including (+)-gossypol, that provide pest resistance. Reciprocal mutagenesis identified three residues responsible for enantioselectivity. The (-)-gossypol-forming DIRs emerged later than their enantiocomplementary counterparts, from tandem gene duplications that occurred shortly after the cotton genus diverged. Our study offers insight into how plants control enantiomeric ratios and how to selectively modify the chemical spectra of cotton plants and thereby improve crop quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Ling Lin
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Jian-Xu Li
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Wen-Kai Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Xiang Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning-Jing Liu
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Fa Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang-Yan Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling-Jian Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Baofu Xu
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Xiao-Ya Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jin-Quan Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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Izuegbuna OO. Polyphenols: Chemoprevention and therapeutic potentials in hematological malignancies. Front Nutr 2022; 9:1008893. [PMID: 36386899 PMCID: PMC9643866 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1008893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Polyphenols are one of the largest plant-derived natural product and they play an important role in plants' defense as well as in human health and disease. A number of them are pleiotropic molecules and have been shown to regulate signaling pathways, immune response and cell growth and proliferation which all play a role in cancer development. Hematological malignancies on the other hand, are cancers of the blood. While current therapies are efficacious, they are usually expensive and with unwanted side effects. Thus, the search for newer less toxic agents. Polyphenols have been reported to possess antineoplastic properties which include cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis via multiple mechanisms. They also have immunomodulatory activities where they enhance T cell activation and suppress regulatory T cells. They carry out these actions through such pathways as PI3K/Akt/mTOR and the kynurenine. They can also reverse cancer resistance to chemotherapy agents. In this review, i look at some of the molecular mechanism of action of polyphenols and their potential roles as therapeutic agents in hematological malignancies. Here i discuss their anti-proliferative and anti-neoplastic activities especially their abilities modulate signaling pathways as well as immune response in hematological malignancies. I also looked at clinical studies done mainly in the last 10-15 years on various polyphenol combination and how they enhance synergism. I recommend that further preclinical and clinical studies be carried out to ensure safety and efficacy before polyphenol therapies be officially moved to the clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ogochukwu O. Izuegbuna
- Department of Haematology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Nigeria
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5
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Regulation of S100As Expression by Inflammatory Cytokines in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23136952. [PMID: 35805957 PMCID: PMC9267105 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23136952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The calcium-binding proteins S100A4, S100A8, and S100A9 are upregulated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), while the S100A9 promotes NF-κB activity during disease progression. The S100-protein family has been involved in several malignancies as mediators of inflammation and proliferation. The hypothesis of our study is that S100A proteins are mediators in signaling pathways associated with inflammation-induced proliferation, such as NF-κB, PI3K/AKT, and JAK/STAT. The mononuclear cells (MNCs) of CLL were treated with proinflammatory IL-6, anti-inflammatory IL-10 cytokines, inhibitors of JAK1/2, NF-κB, and PI3K signaling pathways, to evaluate S100A4, S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12 expression as well as NF-κB activation by qRT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and immunoblotting. The quantity of S100A4, S100A8, and S100A9 positive cells (p < 0.05) and their protein expression (p < 0.01) were significantly decreased in MNCs of CLL patients compared to healthy controls. The S100A levels were generally increased in CD19+ cells compared to MNCs of CLL. The S100A4 gene expression was significantly stimulated (p < 0.05) by the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in MNCs. IL-6 stimulated S100A4 and S100A8 protein expression, prevented by the NF-κB and JAK1/2 inhibitors. In contrast, IL-10 reduced S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12 protein expressions in MNCs of CLL. Moreover, IL-10 inhibited activation of NF-κB signaling (4-fold, p < 0.05). In conclusion, inflammation stimulated the S100A protein expression mediated via the proliferation-related signaling and balanced by the cytokines in CLL.
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Song S, Chen Q, Li Y, Lei G, Scott AW, Huo L, Li CY, Estrella JS, Correa AM, Pizzi M, Ma L, Jin J, Liu B, Wang Y, Xiao L, Hofstetter WL, Lee JH, Weston B, Bhutani MS, Shanbhag ND, Johnson RL, Gan B, Wei S, Ajani JA. Targeting cancer stem cells with a pan-BCL-2 inhibitor in preclinical and clinical settings in patients with gastroesophageal carcinoma. Gut 2021; 70:2238-2248. [PMID: 33487592 PMCID: PMC9720890 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-321175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Gastro-oesophageal cancers (GEC) are resistant to therapy and lead to poor prognosis. The cancer stem cells (CSCs) and antiapoptotic pathways often confer therapy resistance. We sought to elucidate the antitumour action of a BCL-2 inhibitor, AT101 in GEC in vitro, in vivo and in a clinical trial. METHODS Extensive preclinical studies in vitro and in vivo were carried out to establish the mechanism action of AT101 on targeting CSCs and antiapoptotic proteins. A pilot clinical trial in patients with GEC was completed with AT-101 added to standard chemoradiation. RESULTS Overexpression of BCL-2 and MCL-1 was noted in gastric cancer tissues (GC). AT-101 induced apoptosis, reduced proliferation and tumour sphere formation in MCL-1/BCL-2 high GC cells. Interestingly, AT101 dramatically downregulated genes (YAP-1/Sox9) that control CSCs in GEC cell lines regardless of BCL-2/MCL-1 expression. Addition of docetaxel to AT-101 amplified its antiproliferation and induced apoptosis effects. In vivo studies confirmed the combination of AT101 and docetaxel demonstrated stronger antitumour activity accompanied with significant decrease of CSCs biomarkers (YAP1/SOX9). In a pilot clinical trial, 13 patients with oesophageal cancer (EC) received AT101 orally concurrently with chemoradiation. We observed dramatic clinical complete responses and encouraging overall survival in these patients. Clinical specimen analyses revealed that AT-101 dramatically reduced the expression of CSCs genes in treated EC specimens indicating antitumour activity of AT101 relies more on its anti-CSCs activity. CONCLUSIONS Our preclinical and clinical data suggest that AT-101 overcomes resistance by targeting CSCs pathways suggesting a novel mechanism of action of AT101 in patients with GEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumei Song
- Department of GI Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Qiongrong Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030;,Department of Pathology & Surgical Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, CN, 430079
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Guang Lei
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Ailing W Scott
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Longfei Huo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Cordelia Y. Li
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Jeannelyn S. Estrella
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Arlene M. Correa
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Melissa Pizzi
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Lang Ma
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Jiankang Jin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Epigenetic&Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Lianchun Xiao
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Wayne L. Hofstetter
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Jeffrey H. Lee
- Department of Gastroenterology Hepat&Nutr, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Brian Weston
- Department of Gastroenterology Hepat&Nutr, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Manoop S. Bhutani
- Department of Gastroenterology Hepat&Nutr, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Namita D. Shanbhag
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Randy L. Johnson
- Department of Cancer Biology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Boyi Gan
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Shaozhong Wei
- Department of Pathology & Surgical Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, CN, 430079
| | - Jaffer A. Ajani
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030;,Corresponding Authors: Shumei Song, Tel: 713-834-6144; or Jaffer A. Ajani, Tel: 713-792-3685; ; Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Unit 426, The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center; 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030
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Fatima N, Shen Y, Crassini K, Iwanowicz EJ, Lang H, Karanewsky DS, Christopherson RI, Mulligan SP, Best OG. The ClpP activator ONC-212 (TR-31) inhibits BCL2 and B-cell receptor signaling in CLL. EJHAEM 2021; 2:81-93. [PMID: 35846080 PMCID: PMC9175891 DOI: 10.1002/jha2.160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in therapy, a significant proportion of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) relapse with drug resistant disease. Novel treatment approaches are required, particularly for high risk disease. The imipridones represent a new class of cancer therapy that has been investigated in pre-clinical and clinical trials against a range of different cancers. We investigated the effects of the imipridone, ONC-212, against CLL cells cultured under conditions that mimic aspects of the tumour microenvironment and a TP53ko CLL cell line (OSU-CLL-TP53ko). ONC-212 induced dose-dependent apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and reduced the migration of CLL cells in vitro, including cells from patients with TP53 lesions and OSU-CLL-TP53ko cells. The effects of ONC-212 were associated with protein changes consistent with activation of the mitochondrial protease, CIpP, and the integrated stress response. We also observed inhibition of pathways downstream of the B-cell receptor (BCR) (AKT and MAPK-ERK1/2) and a pro-apoptotic shift in the balance of proteins of the BCL2 family of proteins (BCL2, MCL1, BCLxL, BAX and NOXA). In conclusion, the study suggests ONC-212 may represent an effective treatment for high risk CLL disease by inhibiting multiple facets of the BCR signaling pathway and the pro-survival effects of the BCL2-family proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narjis Fatima
- Kolling Institute of Medical ResearchRoyal North Shore HospitalUniversity of SydneySydneyAustralia
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Yandong Shen
- Kolling Institute of Medical ResearchRoyal North Shore HospitalUniversity of SydneySydneyAustralia
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Kyle Crassini
- Kolling Institute of Medical ResearchRoyal North Shore HospitalUniversity of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | | | - Henk Lang
- Madera TherapeuticsLLCCaryNorth Carolina
| | | | | | - Stephen P. Mulligan
- Kolling Institute of Medical ResearchRoyal North Shore HospitalUniversity of SydneySydneyAustralia
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Oliver G. Best
- Kolling Institute of Medical ResearchRoyal North Shore HospitalUniversity of SydneySydneyAustralia
- School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of SydneySydneyAustralia
- Department of Molecular Medicine and GeneticsFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI)College of Medicine and Public HealthFlinders UniversityAdelaideAustralia
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8
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Yi X, Sarkar A, Kismali G, Aslan B, Ayres M, Iles LR, Keating MJ, Wierda WG, Long JP, Bertilaccio MTS, Gandhi V. AMG-176, an Mcl-1 Antagonist, Shows Preclinical Efficacy in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Clin Cancer Res 2020; 26:3856-3867. [PMID: 31937611 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-1397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Survival of CLL cells due to the presence of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 has been established. Direct inhibition of Bcl-2 by venetoclax and indirect targeting of Mcl-1 with transcription inhibitors have been successful approaches for CLL. AMG-176 is a selective and direct antagonist of Mcl-1, which has shown efficacy in several hematologic malignancies; however, its effect on CLL is elusive. We evaluated biological and molecular effects of AMG-176 in primary CLL cells. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Using samples from patients (n = 74) with CLL, we tested effects of AMG-176 on CLL and normal hematopoietic cell death and compared importance of CLL prognostic factors on this biological activity. We evaluated CLL cell apoptosis in the presence of stromal cells and identified cell death pathway including stabilization of Mcl-1 protein. Finally, we tested a couplet of AMG-176 and venetoclax in CLL lymphocytes. RESULTS AMG-176 incubations resulted in time- and dose-dependent CLL cell death. At 100 and 300 nmol/L, there was 30% and 45% cell death at 24 hours. These concentrations did not result in significant cell death in normal hematopoietic cells. Presence of stroma did not affect AMG-176-induced CLL cell death. IGHV unmutated status, high β2M and Mcl-1 protein levels resulted in slightly lower cell death. Mcl-1, but not Bcl-2 protein levels, in CLL cells increased with AMG-176. Low concentrations of venetoclax (1-30 nmol/L) were additive or synergistic with AMG-176. CONCLUSIONS AMG-176 is active in inducing CLL cell death while sparing normal blood cells. Combination with low-dose venetoclax was additive or synergistic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Yi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Hematology, Wuhan No. 1 Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Aloke Sarkar
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Gorkem Kismali
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,Department of Biochemistry, Ankara University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Burcu Aslan
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Mary Ayres
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - LaKesla R Iles
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Michael J Keating
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - William G Wierda
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - James P Long
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Varsha Gandhi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. .,Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
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9
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Yang Q, Chen K, Zhang L, Feng L, Fu G, Jiang S, Bi S, Lin C, Zhou Y, Zhao H, Chen XL, Fu G, Xu B. Synthetic lethality of combined AT-101 with idarubicin in acute myeloid leukemia via blockade of DNA repair and activation of intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Cancer Lett 2019; 461:31-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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10
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In vivo and in vitro inhibition of osteosarcoma growth by the pan Bcl-2 inhibitor AT-101. Invest New Drugs 2019; 38:675-689. [DOI: 10.1007/s10637-019-00827-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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11
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Petsri K, Chamni S, Suwanborirux K, Saito N, Chanvorachote P. Renieramycin T Induces Lung Cancer Cell Apoptosis by Targeting Mcl-1 Degradation: A New Insight in the Mechanism of Action. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:md17050301. [PMID: 31117253 PMCID: PMC6562878 DOI: 10.3390/md17050301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Among malignancies, lung cancer is the major cause of cancer death. Despite the advance in lung cancer therapy, the five-year survival rate is extremely restricted due to therapeutic failure and disease relapse. Targeted therapies selectively inhibiting certain molecules in cancer cells have been accepted as promising ways to control cancer. In lung cancer, evidence has suggested that the myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) protein, an anti-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, is a target for drug action. Herein, we report the Mcl-1 targeting activity of renieramycin T (RT), a marine-derived tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid that was isolated from the Thai blue sponge Xestospongia sp. RT was shown to be dominantly toxic to lung cancer cells compared to the normal cells in the lung. The cytotoxicity of this compound toward lung cancer cells was mainly exerted through apoptosis induction. For the mechanism of action, we found that RT mediated activation of p53 protein and caspase-9 and -3 activations. While others Bcl-2 family proteins (Bcl-2, Bak, and Bax) were minimally changed in response to RT, Mcl-1 protein was dramatically diminished. We further performed the cycloheximide experiment and found that the half-life of Mcl-1 was significantly shortened by RT treatment. When MG132, a potent selective proteasome inhibitor, was utilized, it could restore the Mcl-1 level. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that RT significantly increased the formation of Mcl-1-ubiquitin complex compared to the non-treated control. In conclusion, we report the potential apoptosis induction of RT with a mechanism of action involving the targeting of Mcl-1 for ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation. As Mcl-1 is critical for cancer cell survival and chemotherapeutic failure, this novel information regarding the Mcl-1-targeted compound would be beneficial for the development of efficient anti-cancer strategies or targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korrakod Petsri
- Cell-Based Drug and Health Products Development Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- Doctor of Philosophy Program in Interdisciplinary Pharmacology, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
| | - Supakarn Chamni
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
| | - Khanit Suwanborirux
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
| | - Naoki Saito
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, 2-522-1 Noshio, Kiyose, Tokyo 204-8588, Japan.
| | - Pithi Chanvorachote
- Cell-Based Drug and Health Products Development Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
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12
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Wang HQ, Jia L, Li YT, Farren T, Agrawal SG, Liu FT. Increased autocrine interleukin-6 production is significantly associated with worse clinical outcome in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:13994-14006. [PMID: 30623437 PMCID: PMC6590298 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) remains incurable with current standard therapy. We have previously reported that an increased expression of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) receptor CD126 leads to resistance of CLL cells to chemotherapy and worse prognosis for patients with CLL. In this study, we determine whether autocrine IL‐6 production by CLL B cells is associated with poor clinical outcome and explore IL‐6‐mediated survival mechanism in primary CLL cells. Our results demonstrate that higher levels of autocrine IL‐6 are significantly associated with shorter absolute lymphocyte doubling time, patients received treatment, without complete remission, advanced Binet stages, 17p/11q deletion, and shorter time to first time treatment and progression‐free survival. IL‐6 activated both STAT3 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) in primary CLL cells. Blocking IL‐6 receptor and JAK2 inhibited IL‐6‐mediated activation of STAT3 and NF‐κB. Our study demonstrates that an increased autocrine IL‐6 production by CLL B‐cells are associated with worse clinical outcome for patients with CLL. IL‐6 promotes CLL cell survival by activating both STAT3 and NF‐κB through diverse signaling cascades. Neutralizing IL‐6 or blocking IL‐6 receptor might contribute overcoming the resistance of CLL cells to chemotherapy. We propose that the measurement of autocrine IL‐6 could be a useful approach to predict clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Qing Wang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Tianjin Union Medial Center of Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Jia
- Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yu-Ting Li
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, National Clinical Research Centre for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Timothy Farren
- Pathology Group, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Samir G Agrawal
- Division of Haemato-Oncology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust and Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Feng-Ting Liu
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Tianjin Union Medial Center of Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,Division of Haemato-Oncology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust and Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
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13
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The rise of apoptosis: targeting apoptosis in hematologic malignancies. Blood 2018; 132:1248-1264. [DOI: 10.1182/blood-2018-02-791350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Dysregulation of the B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family of proteins of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway is fundamental to the pathophysiology of many hematologic malignancies. The BCL-2 family consists of regulatory proteins that either induce apoptosis (proapoptotic) or inhibit it (prosurvival). BCL-2, myeloid cell leukemia-1, and B-cell lymphoma–extra large are prosurvival proteins that are prime targets for anticancer therapy, and molecules targeting each are in various stages of preclinical and clinical development. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax was first proven to be highly effective in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and some B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes. Subsequently, venetoclax was found to be active clinically against a diverse array of hematologic malignancies including multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and others. Here, we give a brief introduction to BCL-2 family biology and the mechanism of action of BCL-2 Homology 3 (BH3) mimetics, and provide an overview of the clinical data for therapeutically targeting prosurvival proteins in hematologic malignancies, with a focus on BCL-2 inhibition. To prioritize novel agent combinations and predict responders, we discuss the utility of functional assays such as BH3 profiling. Finally, we provide a perspective on how therapies targeting BCL-2 family proteins may be optimally implemented into future therapeutic regimens for hematologic malignancies.
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14
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Vangapandu HV, Alston B, Morse J, Ayres ML, Wierda WG, Keating MJ, Marszalek JR, Gandhi V. Biological and metabolic effects of IACS-010759, an OxPhos inhibitor, on chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. Oncotarget 2018; 9:24980-24991. [PMID: 29861847 PMCID: PMC5982765 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood cells from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are replicationally quiescent but transcriptionally, translationally, and metabolically active. Recently, we demonstrated that oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) is a predominant pathway in CLL for energy production and is further augmented in the presence of the stromal microenvironment. Importantly, CLL cells from patients with poor prognostic markers showed increased OxPhos. From these data, we theorized that OxPhos can be targeted to treat CLL. IACS-010759, currently in clinical development, is a small-molecule, orally bioavailable OxPhos inhibitor that targets mitochondrial complex I. Treatment of primary CLL cells with IACS-010759 greatly inhibited OxPhos but caused only minor cell death at 24 and 48 h. In the presence of stroma, the drug successfully inhibited OxPhos and diminished intracellular ribonucleotide pools. However, glycolysis and glucose uptake were induced as compensatory mechanisms. To mitigate the upregulated glycolytic flux, we used 2-deoxy-D-glucose in combination with IACS-010759. This combination reduced both OxPhos and glycolysis and induced cell death. Consistent with these data, low-glucose culture conditions sensitized CLL cells to IACS-010759. Collectively, these data suggest that CLL cells adapt to use a different metabolic pathway when OxPhos is inhibited and that targeting both OxPhos and glycolysis pathways is necessary for biological effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hima V. Vangapandu
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Brandon Alston
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Joshua Morse
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Mary L. Ayres
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - William G. Wierda
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Michael J. Keating
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Joseph R. Marszalek
- Institute of Applied Cancer Science and the Center for Co-Clinical Trials, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Varsha Gandhi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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15
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Crassini K, Shen Y, Stevenson WS, Christopherson R, Ward C, Mulligan SP, Best OG. MEK1/2 inhibition by binimetinib is effective as a single agent and potentiates the actions of Venetoclax and ABT-737 under conditions that mimic the chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) tumour microenvironment. Br J Haematol 2018; 182:360-372. [DOI: 10.1111/bjh.15282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Crassini
- Northern Blood Research Centre; Kolling Institute of Medical Research; Royal North Shore Hospital; St Leonards Sydney Australia
| | - Yandong Shen
- Northern Blood Research Centre; Kolling Institute of Medical Research; Royal North Shore Hospital; St Leonards Sydney Australia
- School of Molecular Biosciences; University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
| | - William S. Stevenson
- Northern Blood Research Centre; Kolling Institute of Medical Research; Royal North Shore Hospital; St Leonards Sydney Australia
| | | | - Chris Ward
- Northern Blood Research Centre; Kolling Institute of Medical Research; Royal North Shore Hospital; St Leonards Sydney Australia
| | - Stephen P. Mulligan
- Northern Blood Research Centre; Kolling Institute of Medical Research; Royal North Shore Hospital; St Leonards Sydney Australia
- CLL Australian Research Consortium (CLLARC); Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards; Sydney Australia
- School of Molecular Biosciences; University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
| | - O. Giles Best
- Northern Blood Research Centre; Kolling Institute of Medical Research; Royal North Shore Hospital; St Leonards Sydney Australia
- CLL Australian Research Consortium (CLLARC); Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards; Sydney Australia
- School of Molecular Biosciences; University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
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16
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Balakrishnan K, Fu M, Onida F, Wierda WG, Keating MJ, Gandhi V. Reactivation of Smac-mediated apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells: mechanistic studies of Smac mimetic. Oncotarget 2018; 7:39458-39472. [PMID: 27223062 PMCID: PMC5129945 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional apoptotic machinery is a hallmark feature of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Accordingly, targeting apoptosis regulators has been proven a rational approach for CLL treatment. We show that CLL lymphocytes express high levels of XIAP, cIAP1, and cIAP2 compared to normal lymphocytes. Smac mimetic, Smac066, designed to bind to BIR3-domain of IAPs, induce apoptosis in primary CLL cells (n=71; p<0.0001), irrespective of prognostic markers. Apoptosis was mediated by diminished levels of IAPs (XIAP-p=0.02; cIAP-p<0.0001) and increased activation of caspases-8,-9,-3. The caspase-cleavage was in direct association with the levels of apoptosis (r2=0.8 for caspases-8,-9,-3). Correlative analysis revealed a direct relationship between reduction in IAPs and degree of apoptosis (r2=0.6 (XIAP); 0.5 (cIAP2)). There was a strong association between apoptosis, IAP-degradation, and concurrent caspase-activation. Pan-caspase inhibitor Z-Vad-fmk reversed the degradation of Mcl-1, but not IAPs suggesting that smac066 is selective to IAPs, however, Mcl-1 degradation is through caspase-mediated cleavage. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed physical interaction between caspase-3 and XIAP that was disrupted by smac066. Importantly, XIAP and cIAP2 were markedly induced in bone-marrow and lymph-node microenvironments, providing a basis for IAP antagonists as anti-tumor agents in CLL. Smac066 synergized with ABT-737, revealing a mechanistic rationale to jointly target BH3 and BIR3 domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumudha Balakrishnan
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Min Fu
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Francesco Onida
- Department of Hematology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - William G Wierda
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Michael J Keating
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Varsha Gandhi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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17
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Scheffold A, Jebaraj BMC, Stilgenbauer S. Venetoclax: Targeting BCL2 in Hematological Cancers. Recent Results Cancer Res 2018; 212:215-242. [PMID: 30069633 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-91439-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Over the last years, targeted anti-cancer therapy with small-molecule inhibitors and antibodies moved to the forefront as a strategy to treat hematological cancers. These novel agents showed outstanding effects in treatment of patients, often irrespective of their underlying genetic features. However, evolution and selection of subclones with continuous treatment leads to disease relapse and resistance toward these novel drugs. Venetoclax (ABT-199) is a novel, orally bioavailable small-molecule inhibitor for selective targeting of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2). Venetoclax is in clinical development and shows high efficacy and safety in particular in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but preliminarily also in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The most important and impressive outcomes of venetoclax treatment include a rapid induction of apoptosis and drastic reduction of the tumor bulk within a few hours after administration. Venetoclax was approved by the FDA and EMA in 2016 for patients with previously treated CLL with del(17p13) and patients failing B cell receptor signaling inhibitors (EMA only), on the basis of a single-arm phase II trial demonstrating a tremendous response rate of 79% with complete remission in 20% of cases and an estimated 1-year progression-free survival of 72%. This review focuses on the mode of action, the preclinical models, and outcomes from various clinical trials with venetoclax in different hematologic cancers as well as future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Scheffold
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Ulm University, Albert Einstein Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Stephan Stilgenbauer
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Ulm University, Albert Einstein Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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18
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Liu FT, Jia L, Wang P, Wang H, Farren TW, Agrawal SG. STAT3 and NF-κB cooperatively control in vitro spontaneous apoptosis and poor chemo-responsiveness in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Oncotarget 2017; 7:32031-45. [PMID: 27074565 PMCID: PMC5077994 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an adult disease characterized by in vivo accumulation of mature CD5/CD19/CD23 triple positive B cells and is currently incurable. CLL cells undergo spontaneous apoptosis in response to in vitro cell culture condition but the underlying mechanism is unclear. We hypothesize that the sensitivity of CLL cells to spontaneous apoptosis may be associated with the constitutive activities of transcription factors STAT3 and/or NF-κB. We now show that the sensitivity of fresh CLL cells to spontaneous apoptosis is highly variable among different patients during 48 hours’ cell culture and inversely correlated with in vivo constitutively activated STAT3 and NF-κB (p < 0.001). Both activated STAT3 and NF-κB maintain the levels of anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1/Bcl-xL and autocrine IL-6 production. CLL cells with higher susceptibility to in vitro spontaneous apoptosis show the greatest chemosensitivity (p < 0.001), which is reflected clinically as achieving a complete response (CR) (p < 0.001), longer lymphocyte doubling times (p < 0.01), time to first treatment (p < 0.01), and progression free survival (p < 0.05). Our data suggest that the sensitivity of CLL cells to in vitro spontaneous apoptosis is co-regulated by constitutively activated STAT3 and NF-κB and reflects the in vivo chemo-responsiveness and clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Ting Liu
- Department of Radiobiology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, National Clinical Research Centre for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Li Jia
- Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Radiobiology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, National Clinical Research Centre for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Huaqing Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tianjin Union Medicine Center, Tianjin, China
| | - Timothy W Farren
- Pathology Group, Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Samir G Agrawal
- Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
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19
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Liu Y, Xue F, Zhang Y, Lei P, Wang Z, Zhu Z, Sun K. N1-guanyl-1,7-diaminoheptane enhances the chemosensitivity of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells to vincristine through inhibition of eif5a-2 activation. Anticancer Drugs 2017; 28:1097-1105. [PMID: 28885268 DOI: 10.1097/cad.0000000000000550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
N1-guanyl-1,7-diaminoheptane (GC7), a deoxyhypusine synthase inhibitor, has been shown to exert antiproliferation effects in many solid tumors by regulating eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5a2 (eif5a-2). However, little is known about the role of GC7 and eif5a-2 in drug resistance in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In the present study, we investigated the effect of GC7 on drug-resistant ALL and its potential mechanism. We found that using the CCK-8 assay that combined treatment with GC7 and vincristine (VCR) significantly inhibited the cell viability of two ALL cell lines. Using EdU incorporation assays and flow cytometry, we also showed that GC7 could markedly enhance the VCR sensitivity of ALL cells by suppressing cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis. Furthermore, we showed that GC7 could downregulate eif5a-2 and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) expression. Knockdown of eif5a-2 inhibited the expression of Mcl-1 and significantly enhanced the VCR sensitivity. Moreover, eif5a-2 knockdown decreased the regulatory role of GC7 in increasing VCR sensitivity. Thus, our findings indicate that combined treatment with GC7 could enhance VCR sensitivity of ALL cells by regulating the eif5a-2/Mcl-1 axis. Together, our results highlight the potential clinical application of GC7 in VCR-based chemotherapy for the treatment of ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Liu
- Departments of aHemotology bHepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China
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20
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Vangapandu HV, Ayres ML, Bristow CA, Wierda WG, Keating MJ, Balakrishnan K, Stellrecht CM, Gandhi V. The Stromal Microenvironment Modulates Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells. Neoplasia 2017; 19:762-771. [PMID: 28863345 PMCID: PMC5577399 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral blood chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells are replicationally quiescent mature B-cells. In short-term cultures, supporting stromal cells provide a survival advantage to CLL cells by inducing transcription and translation without promoting proliferation. We hypothesized that the stromal microenvironment augments malignant B cells' metabolism to enable the cells to cope with their energy demands for transcription and translation. We used extracellular flux analysis to assess the two major energy-generating pathways, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) and glycolysis, in primary CLL cells in the presence of three different stromal cell lines. OxPhos, measured as the basal oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and maximum respiration capacity, was significantly higher in 28 patients' CLL cells cocultured with bone marrow-derived NK.Tert stromal cells than in CLL cells cultured alone (P = .004 and <.0001, respectively). Similar OCR induction was observed in CLL cells cocultured with M2-10B4 and HS-5 stromal lines. In contrast, heterogeneous changes in the extracellular acidification rate (a measure of glycolysis) were observed in CLL cells cocultured with stromal cells. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of CLL cells' metabolomics profile indicated stroma-mediated stimulation of nucleotide synthesis. Quantitation of ribonucleotide pools showed a significant two-fold increase in CLL cells cocultured with stromal cells, indicating that the stroma may induce CLL cellular bioenergy and the RNA building blocks necessary for the transcriptional requirement of a prosurvival phenotype. The stroma did not impact the proliferation index (Ki-67 staining) of CLL cells. Collectively, these data suggest that short-term interaction (≤24 hours) with stroma increases OxPhos and bioenergy in replicationally quiescent CLL cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hima V Vangapandu
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mary L Ayres
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Christopher A Bristow
- Applied Cancer Science Institute, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - William G Wierda
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Michael J Keating
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kumudha Balakrishnan
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Christine M Stellrecht
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Varsha Gandhi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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21
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Apoptosis signaling and BCL-2 pathways provide opportunities for novel targeted therapeutic strategies in hematologic malignances. Blood Rev 2017; 32:8-28. [PMID: 28802908 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2017.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 08/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Apoptosis is an essential biological process involved in tissue homeostasis and immunity. Aberrations of the two main apoptotic pathways, extrinsic and intrinsic, have been identified in hematological malignancies; many of these aberrations are associated with pathogenesis, prognosis and resistance to standard chemotherapeutic agents. Targeting components of the apoptotic pathways, especially the chief regulatory BCL-2 family in the intrinsic pathway, has proved to be a promising therapeutic approach for patients with hematological malignances, with the expectation of enhanced efficacy and reduced adverse events. Continuous investigations regarding the biological importance of each of the BCL-2 family components and the clinical rationale to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes, using either monotherapy or in combination with other targeted agents, have generated inspiring progress in the field. Genomic, epigenomic and biological analyses including BH3 profiling facilitate effective evaluation of treatment response, cancer recurrence and drug resistance. In this review, we summarize the biological features of each of the components in the BCL-2 apoptotic pathways, analyze the regulatory mechanisms and the pivotal roles of BCL-2 family members in the pathogenesis of major types of hematologic malignances, and evaluate the potential of apoptosis- and BCL-2-targeted strategies as effective approaches in anti-cancer therapies.
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22
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The pan-Bcl2 Inhibitor AT101 Activates the Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway and Causes DNA Damage in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem-Like Cells. Target Oncol 2017; 12:677-687. [DOI: 10.1007/s11523-017-0509-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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23
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Llewellyn KJ, Nalbandian A, Weiss LN, Chang I, Yu H, Khatib B, Tan B, Scarfone V, Kimonis VE. Myogenic differentiation of VCP disease-induced pluripotent stem cells: A novel platform for drug discovery. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176919. [PMID: 28575052 PMCID: PMC5456028 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Valosin Containing Protein (VCP) disease is an autosomal dominant multisystem proteinopathy caused by mutations in the VCP gene, and is primarily associated with progressive muscle weakness, including atrophy of the pelvic and shoulder girdle muscles. Currently, no treatments are available and cardiac and respiratory failures can lead to mortality at an early age. VCP is an AAA ATPase multifunction complex protein and mutations in the VCP gene resulting in disrupted autophagic clearance. Due to the rarity of the disease, the myopathic nature of the disorder, ethical and practical considerations, VCP disease muscle biopsies are difficult to obtain. Thus, disease-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) now provide a valuable resource for the research owing to their renewable and pluripotent nature. In the present study, we report the differentiation and characterization of a VCP disease-specific hiPSCs into precursors expressing myogenic markers including desmin, myogenic factor 5 (MYF5), myosin and heavy chain 2 (MYH2). VCP disease phenotype is characterized by high expression of TAR DNA Binding Protein-43 (TDP-43), ubiquitin (Ub), Light Chain 3-I/II protein (LC3-I/II), and p62/SQSTM1 (p62) protein indicating disruption of the autophagy cascade. Treatment of hiPSC precursors with autophagy stimulators Rapamycin, Perifosine, or AT101 showed reduction in VCP pathology markers TDP-43, LC3-I/II and p62/SQSTM1. Conversely, autophagy inhibitors chloroquine had no beneficial effect, and Spautin-1 or MHY1485 had modest effects. Our results illustrate that hiPSC technology provide a useful platform for a rapid drug discovery and hence constitutes a bridge between clinical and bench research in VCP and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina J. Llewellyn
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Angèle Nalbandian
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Lan N. Weiss
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Isabela Chang
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Howard Yu
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Bibo Khatib
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Baichang Tan
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Vanessa Scarfone
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Virginia E. Kimonis
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
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24
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BIS overexpression does not affect the sensitivity of HEK 293T cells against apoptosis. Mol Cell Toxicol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13273-017-0010-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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25
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION BCL-2 proteins are key players in the balance of cell life and death. Their roles in the development and biology of cancer have been well established and continue to be investigated. Understanding the mechanisms by which these proteins regulate apoptosis has led to the development of small molecule targeted therapies that act to overcome the cell's ability to evade programmed cell death. Areas covered: The biology of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway is reviewed with attention to the varied roles of the anti-apoptotic members of the BCL-2 family. BH3 profiling is reviewed. Historical therapeutic agents are addressed, and currently investigated BH3 mimetics are described with attention to clinical significance. The limitations of BCL-2 family targeted drugs with regard to on-target and off-target toxicities are explored. Agents under development for targeting MCL-1 and other BCL-2 family members are discussed. Expert opinion: ABT-199 (venetoclax) and other BH3 mimetics have entered the clinical arena and show promising results in both hematologic and solid malignancies. Use of agents targeting this system will likely expand, and likely a number of malignant diseases will be successfully targeted resulting in improved treatment responses and patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Levy
- a Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center , Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute , Hershey , PA , USA
| | - David F Claxton
- a Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center , Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute , Hershey , PA , USA
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26
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Lampson BL, Davids MS. The Development and Current Use of BCL-2 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Curr Hematol Malig Rep 2017; 12:11-19. [PMID: 28116634 PMCID: PMC5862560 DOI: 10.1007/s11899-017-0359-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The BCL-2 family of proteins integrates pro- and anti-apoptotic signals within the cell and is responsible for initiation of caspase-dependent apoptosis. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells are particularly dependent on the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 for their survival, making this an attractive therapeutic target in CLL. Several early efforts to create inhibitors of the anti-apoptotic family members faced significant challenges, but eventually, the BCL-2 specific inhibitor venetoclax moved forward in CLL. Overall and complete response rates to venetoclax monotherapy in relapsed, refractory CLL are approximately 80 and 20%, respectively, even in patients with high-risk 17p deletion. Toxicities have been manageable and include neutropenia, diarrhea, and nausea. The risk of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), seen in early experience with the drug, has been mitigated by the use of appropriate TLS risk assessment, prophylaxis, and management. Future studies of venetoclax will focus on combination approaches, predictive biomarker discovery, and mechanisms of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin L Lampson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Matthew S Davids
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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27
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Guo A, Lu P, Lee J, Zhen C, Chiosis G, Wang YL. HSP90 stabilizes B-cell receptor kinases in a multi-client interactome: PU-H71 induces CLL apoptosis in a cytoprotective microenvironment. Oncogene 2017; 36:3441-3449. [PMID: 28114285 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 10/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by the accumulation of B cells in the hematopoietic system and lymphoid tissues. Although inhibitors targeting the B-cell receptor (BCR) pathway have been successful in the treatment of the disease, the underlying mechanisms leading to BCR over-activity in CLL are not fully understood. In this study, we found that HSP90, a highly conserved molecular chaperone, is overexpressed in CLL compared with resting B cells. HSP90 overexpression is accompanied by the overexpression of several BCR kinases including LYN, spleen tyrosine kinase, Bruton tyrosine kinase and AKT. Chemical and immune-precipitation demonstrated that these BCR constituents are present in a multi-client chaperone complex with HSP90. Inhibition of HSP90 with PU-H71 destabilized the BCR kinases and caused apoptosis of CLL cells through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Further, PU-H71 induced apoptosis in the presence of stromal co-culture or cytoprotective survival signals. Finally, genetic knockdown of HSP90 and its client AKT, but not BTK, reduced CLL viability. Overall, our study suggests that the chaperone function of HSP90 contributes to the over-activity of the BCR signaling in CLL and inhibition of HSP90 has the potential to achieve a multi-targeting effect. Thus, HSP90 inhibition may be explored to prevent or overcome drug resistance to single targeting agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Guo
- Division of Genomic and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Chicago and
| | - P Lu
- Division of Genomic and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Chicago and
| | - J Lee
- Division of Genomic and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Chicago and
| | - C Zhen
- Division of Genomic and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Chicago and
| | - G Chiosis
- Program in Chemical Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA and Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Y L Wang
- Division of Genomic and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, University of Chicago and
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28
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Ortíz-Maldonado V, Mozas P, Delgado J. The biology behind B-cell lymphoma 2 as a target in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Ther Adv Hematol 2016; 7:321-329. [PMID: 27904736 DOI: 10.1177/2040620716671313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2)-type proteins are key regulators of the intrinsic or mitochondrial pathway for apoptosis. Since escape from apoptosis is one the main 'hallmarks of cancer', BCL2 inhibitors have emerged as promising therapeutic agents for diverse lymphoid malignancies, particularly chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Multiple clinical trials have shown efficacy of these agents in patients with relapsed/refractory disease with a favorable toxicity profile. Moreover, some clinical trials indicate that combination with monoclonal antibodies and other novel agents may enhance their effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pablo Mozas
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julio Delgado
- Department of Hematology, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Calle Villarroel 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
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29
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Bone marrow stroma-induced resistance of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells to arsenic trioxide involves Mcl-1 upregulation and is overcome by inhibiting the PI3Kδ or PKCβ signaling pathways. Oncotarget 2016; 6:44832-48. [PMID: 26540567 PMCID: PMC4792595 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.6265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
CLL remains an incurable disease in spite of the many new compounds being studied. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) induces apoptosis in all CLL cell types and could constitute an efficient therapy. To further explore this, we have studied the influence of stromal cells, key components of the CLL microenvironment, on the response of CLL cells to ATO. Bone marrow stromal cells induced CLL cell resistance to 2 μM ATO and led to activation of Lyn, ERK, PI3K and PKC, as well as NF-κB and STAT3. Mcl-1, Bcl-xL, and Bfl-1 were also upregulated after the co-culture. Inhibition experiments indicated that PI3K and PKC were involved in the resistance to ATO induced by stroma. Moreover, idelalisib and sotrastaurin, specific inhibitors for PI3Kδ and PKCβ, respectively, inhibited Akt phosphorylation, NF-κB/STAT3 activation and Mcl-1 upregulation, and rendered cells sensitive to ATO. Mcl-1 was central to the mechanism of resistance to ATO, since: 1) Mcl-1 levels correlated with the CLL cell response to ATO, and 2) blocking Mcl-1 expression or function with specific siRNAs or inhibitors overcame the protecting effect of stroma. We have therefore identified the mechanism involved in the CLL cell resistance to ATO induced by bone marrow stroma and show that idelalisib or sotrastaurin block this mechanism and restore sensibility to ATO. Combination of ATO with these inhibitors may thus constitute an efficient treatment for CLL.
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30
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Rigoni M, Riganti C, Vitale C, Griggio V, Campia I, Robino M, Foglietta M, Castella B, Sciancalepore P, Buondonno I, Drandi D, Ladetto M, Boccadoro M, Massaia M, Coscia M. Simvastatin and downstream inhibitors circumvent constitutive and stromal cell-induced resistance to doxorubicin in IGHV unmutated CLL cells. Oncotarget 2016; 6:29833-46. [PMID: 26284584 PMCID: PMC4745766 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (IGHV) mutational status is a strong determinant of remission duration in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The aim of this work was to compare the multidrug resistance (MDR) signature of IGHV mutated and unmutated CLL cells, identifying biochemical and molecular targets potentially amenable to therapeutic intervention. We found that the mevalonate pathway-dependent Ras/ERK1–2 and RhoA/RhoA kinase signaling cascades, and the downstream HIF-1α/P-glycoprotein axis were more active in IGHV unmutated than in mutated cells, leading to a constitutive protection from doxorubicin-induced cytotoxicity. The constitutive MDR phenotype of IGHV unmutated cells was partially dependent on B cell receptor signaling, as shown by the inhibitory effect exerted by ibrutinib. Stromal cells further protected IGHV unmutated cells from doxorubicin by upregulating Ras/ERK1–2, RhoA/RhoA kinase, Akt, HIF-1α and P-glycoprotein activities. Mevalonate pathway inhibition with simvastatin abrogated these signaling pathways and reversed the resistance of IGHV unmutated cells to doxorubicin, also counteracting the protective effect exerted by stromal cells. Similar results were obtained via the targeted inhibition of the downstream molecules ERK1–2, RhoA kinase and HIF-1α. Therefore, targeting the mevalonate pathway and its downstream signaling cascades is a promising strategy to circumvent the MDR signature of IGHV unmutated CLL cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micol Rigoni
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Chiara Riganti
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Candida Vitale
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Valentina Griggio
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Ivana Campia
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Marta Robino
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Myriam Foglietta
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Barbara Castella
- Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Patrizia Sciancalepore
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Drandi
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Marco Ladetto
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Mario Boccadoro
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Massimo Massaia
- Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy.,S.C. Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, Azienda Ospedaliera Ordine Mauriziano di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Marta Coscia
- Division of Hematology, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
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31
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Alsagaby SA, Brennan P, Pepper C. Key Molecular Drivers of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. CLINICAL LYMPHOMA MYELOMA & LEUKEMIA 2016; 16:593-606. [PMID: 27601002 DOI: 10.1016/j.clml.2016.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an adult neoplastic disease of B cells characterized by variable clinical outcomes. Although some patients have an aggressive form of the disease and often encounter treatment failure and short survival, others have more stable disease with long-term survival and little or no need for theraphy. In the past decade, significant advances have been made in our understanding of the molecular drivers that affect the natural pathology of CLL. The present review describes what is known about these key molecules in the context of their role in tumor pathogenicity, prognosis, and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suliman A Alsagaby
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Science, Majmaah University, Al-Zuli, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Institute of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
| | - Paul Brennan
- Institute of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Chris Pepper
- Institute of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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32
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Chen C, Dienhart JA, Bolton EC. Androgen-Sensitized Apoptosis of HPr-1AR Human Prostate Epithelial Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156145. [PMID: 27203692 PMCID: PMC4874596 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is crucial to the development and homeostasis of the prostate gland, and its dysregulation mediates common prostate pathologies. The mechanisms whereby AR regulates growth suppression and differentiation of luminal epithelial cells in the prostate gland and proliferation of malignant versions of these cells have been investigated in human and rodent adult prostate. However, the cellular stress response of human prostate epithelial cells is not well understood, though it is central to prostate health and pathology. Here, we report that androgen sensitizes HPr-1AR and RWPE-AR human prostate epithelial cells to cell stress agents and apoptotic cell death. Although 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) treatment alone did not induce cell death, co-treatment of HPr-1AR cells with DHT and an apoptosis inducer, such as staurosporine (STS), TNFt, or hydrogen peroxide, synergistically increased cell death in comparison to treatment with each apoptosis inducer by itself. We found that the synergy between DHT and apoptosis inducer led to activation of the intrinsic/mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, which is supported by robust cleavage activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Further, the dramatic depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential that we observed upon co-treatment with DHT and STS is consistent with increased mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) in the pro-apoptotic mechanism. Interestingly, the synergy between DHT and apoptosis inducer was abolished by AR antagonists and inhibitors of transcription and protein synthesis, suggesting that AR mediates pro-apoptotic synergy through transcriptional regulation of MOMP genes. Expression analysis revealed that pro-apoptotic genes (BCL2L11/BIM and AIFM2) were DHT-induced, whereas pro-survival genes (BCL2L1/BCL-XL and MCL1) were DHT-repressed. Hence, we propose that the net effect of these AR-mediated expression changes shifts the balance of BCL2-family proteins, such that androgen signaling sensitizes mitochondria to apoptotic signaling, thus rendering HPr-1AR more vulnerable to cell death signals. Our study offers insight into AR-mediated regulation of prostate epithelial cell death signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Chen
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jason A. Dienhart
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Eric C. Bolton
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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33
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Abstract
Adult T-cell Leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive malignant disease of CD4+ T-cells associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I). Prognosis of ATL patients is directly correlated to the subtype of ATL. Treatment of the aggressive forms (acute and lymphoma types) of ATL remains inadequate, as most ATL patients receive conventional chemotherapy without stem cell rescue. At present, LSG15 is the standard chemotherapy for the treatment of aggressive ATL, but the efficacy of LSG15 in most patients is transient. To prolong median survival time, additional therapies for maintenance of complete response (CR) are needed after achieving CR by induction chemotherapy. Improved outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT), despite a high incidence of graft-versus-host disease, has been reported. Thus, allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and allogeneic peripheral blood SCT may have great potential for eradication of HTLV-1 and cure of ATL. Recently, reduced-intensity conditioning stem cell transplantation was also reported to be effective for ATL. Although several issues, including selection criteria for patients and sources of stem cells remain to be resolved, allo-SCT may be considered as a treatment option for patients with aggressive ATL. To evaluate whether allo-SCT is more effective than the standard chemotherapy (LSG15) for aggressive ATL, an up front phase II clinical trial of JCOG-LSG is now being planned. Novel innovative targeted strategies, such as antiretroviral therapy, arsenic trioxide, nuclear factor-kappaB inhibitors, proteasome inhibitors, histone deacetylase inhibitors, several monoclonal antibodies including anti-CC chemokine receptor 4, anti-folate, purine nucleotide phosphorylase inhibitor, mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) inhibitor, bendamustine, small molecule Bcl-2 inhibitors and Tax-targeted immunotherapy, should be promptly studied in order to develop curative treatments for ATL in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimiru Uozumi
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Kagoshima University Hospital.
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34
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Mohammad RM, Muqbil I, Lowe L, Yedjou C, Hsu HY, Lin LT, Siegelin MD, Fimognari C, Kumar NB, Dou QP, Yang H, Samadi AK, Russo GL, Spagnuolo C, Ray SK, Chakrabarti M, Morre JD, Coley HM, Honoki K, Fujii H, Georgakilas AG, Amedei A, Niccolai E, Amin A, Ashraf SS, Helferich WG, Yang X, Boosani CS, Guha G, Bhakta D, Ciriolo MR, Aquilano K, Chen S, Mohammed SI, Keith WN, Bilsland A, Halicka D, Nowsheen S, Azmi AS. Broad targeting of resistance to apoptosis in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2015; 35 Suppl:S78-S103. [PMID: 25936818 PMCID: PMC4720504 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2015.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 527] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Apoptosis or programmed cell death is natural way of removing aged cells from the body. Most of the anti-cancer therapies trigger apoptosis induction and related cell death networks to eliminate malignant cells. However, in cancer, de-regulated apoptotic signaling, particularly the activation of an anti-apoptotic systems, allows cancer cells to escape this program leading to uncontrolled proliferation resulting in tumor survival, therapeutic resistance and recurrence of cancer. This resistance is a complicated phenomenon that emanates from the interactions of various molecules and signaling pathways. In this comprehensive review we discuss the various factors contributing to apoptosis resistance in cancers. The key resistance targets that are discussed include (1) Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 proteins; (2) autophagy processes; (3) necrosis and necroptosis; (4) heat shock protein signaling; (5) the proteasome pathway; (6) epigenetic mechanisms; and (7) aberrant nuclear export signaling. The shortcomings of current therapeutic modalities are highlighted and a broad spectrum strategy using approaches including (a) gossypol; (b) epigallocatechin-3-gallate; (c) UMI-77 (d) triptolide and (e) selinexor that can be used to overcome cell death resistance is presented. This review provides a roadmap for the design of successful anti-cancer strategies that overcome resistance to apoptosis for better therapeutic outcome in patients with cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramzi M Mohammad
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Interim translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Irfana Muqbil
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Leroy Lowe
- Getting to Know Cancer, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Clement Yedjou
- C-SET, [Jackson, #229] State University, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Hsue-Yin Hsu
- Department of Life Sciences, Tzu-Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Tzung Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Markus David Siegelin
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Carmela Fimognari
- Dipartimento di Scienze per la Qualità della Vita Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, Italy
| | - Nagi B Kumar
- Moffit Cancer Center, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Q Ping Dou
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States; Departments of Pharmacology and Pathology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit MI, United States
| | - Huanjie Yang
- The School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | | | - Gian Luigi Russo
- Institute of Food Sciences National Research Council, Avellino, Italy
| | - Carmela Spagnuolo
- Institute of Food Sciences National Research Council, Avellino, Italy
| | - Swapan K Ray
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Mrinmay Chakrabarti
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - James D Morre
- Mor-NuCo, Inc, Purdue Research Park, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Helen M Coley
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Kanya Honoki
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Fujii
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Alexandros G Georgakilas
- Department of Physics, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou 15780, Athens, Greece
| | - Amedeo Amedei
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, university of florence, Italy
| | - Elena Niccolai
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, university of florence, Italy
| | - Amr Amin
- Department of Biology, College of Science, UAE University, United Arab Emirates; Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Egypt
| | - S Salman Ashraf
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, UAE University, United Arab Emirates
| | - William G Helferich
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Xujuan Yang
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Chandra S Boosani
- Department of BioMedical Sciences, School of Medicine Creighton University, Omaha NE, United States
| | - Gunjan Guha
- School of Chemical and Bio Technology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, India
| | - Dipita Bhakta
- School of Chemical and Bio Technology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, India
| | | | - Katia Aquilano
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy
| | - Sophie Chen
- Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Research Trust Laboratory, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Sulma I Mohammed
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology and Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - W Nicol Keith
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Ireland
| | - Alan Bilsland
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Ireland
| | - Dorota Halicka
- Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Somaira Nowsheen
- Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic Medical Scientist Training Program, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Asfar S Azmi
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
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Cervantes-Gomez F, Lavergne B, Keating MJ, Wierda WG, Gandhi V. Combination of Pim kinase inhibitors and Bcl-2 antagonists in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. Leuk Lymphoma 2015; 57:436-444. [PMID: 26088877 DOI: 10.3109/10428194.2015.1063141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The Pim proteins are Ser/Thr kinases over-expressed in several hematological malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and some solid cancers like prostate cancer. Several small molecules have been developed to inhibit these kinases. In prostate cancer cell lines, the Pim kinase inhibitor SMI-4a and the Bcl-2 antagonist ABT-737 resulted in synergistic cytotoxicity. Akin to prostate cancer cells, CLL lymphocytes over-express Pim and Bcl-2 proteins. It was hypothesized that similar cytotoxic interaction should be observed in CLL. This study evaluated the in vitro cytotoxic effect of three Pim kinase inhibitors (AZD1208, SGI-1776 and SMI-4a) combined with Bcl-2 antagonists (ABT-737 or ABT-199) in malignant CLL lymphocytes. Data indicated Pim kinase inhibitors in combination with ABT-737 or ABT-199 resulted mostly in additive cytotoxicity with a few synergistic responses; however, the extent of synergism was less robust than that observed previously in prostate cancer cell lines treated with SMI-4a and ABT-737.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Cervantes-Gomez
- a Department of Experimental Therapeutics , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Bethany Lavergne
- a Department of Experimental Therapeutics , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Michael J Keating
- b Department of Leukemia , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston , TX , USA
| | - William G Wierda
- b Department of Leukemia , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Varsha Gandhi
- a Department of Experimental Therapeutics , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston , TX , USA.,b Department of Leukemia , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , Houston , TX , USA
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Zhang W, Pelicano H, Yin R, Zeng J, Wen T, Ding L, Huang R. Effective elimination of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells in the stromal microenvironment by a novel drug combination strategy using redox-mediated mechanisms. Mol Med Rep 2015; 12:7374-88. [PMID: 26458979 PMCID: PMC4626185 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.4364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common type of adult leukemia, and is currently incurable due to drug resistance. A previous study indicated that the redox interaction between bone marrow stromal cells and leukemia cells profoundly affected CLL cell viability and drug response. The present study aimed to further investigate the effect of the redox interaction on drug resistance of CLL cells in the bone marrow microenvironment, and to assess a novel redox-mediated strategy to eliminate stromal-protected CLL cells, and thus to achieve maximum therapeutic efficacy of antileukemic drugs. Histone deacetylase inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) is a potent novel anticancer agent, however, it exerts limited activity in patients with CLL. The results of the present study demonstrated that SAHA facilitated stromal‑mediated glutathione upregulation in the CLL cells, contributing to drug resistance. The addition of β‑phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) induced severe depletion of stromal and SAHA‑upregulated glutathione, enhanced SAHA‑mediated reactive oxygen species accumulation in the CLL cells and caused oxidation of mitochondrial cardilopin, leading to substantial cell death. The results further demonstrated that stromal cells and SAHA markedly upregulated antiapoptotic protein expression levels of myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl1) in CLL the cells. By inducing protein deglutathionylation and degradation, PEITC suppressed the expression of Mcl1 in co‑cultured CLL cells, and increased SAHA sensitivity. The combination of SAHA and PEITC enabled the induction of marked apoptosis of CLL cells co‑cultured with bone marrow stromal cells. The present study provided a preclinical rationale, which warrants further clinical investigation for the potential use of SAHA/PEITC as a novel combination treatment strategy for CLL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Zhang
- Department of Leukemia, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Helene Pelicano
- Department of Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Ran Yin
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Junyi Zeng
- Department of Leukemia, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Tong Wen
- Department of Leukemia, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Lu Ding
- Department of Leukemia, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Ruibin Huang
- Department of Leukemia, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
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Doi K, Gowda K, Liu Q, Lin JM, Sung SS, Dower C, Claxton D, Loughran TP, Amin S, Wang HG. Pyoluteorin derivatives induce Mcl-1 degradation and apoptosis in hematological cancer cells. Cancer Biol Ther 2015; 15:1688-99. [PMID: 25535900 DOI: 10.4161/15384047.2014.972799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Mcl-1, a pro-survival member of the Bcl-2 protein family, is an attractive target for cancer therapy. We have recently identified the natural product marinopyrrole A (maritoclax) as a novel small molecule Mcl-1 inhibitor. Here, we describe the structure-activity relationship study of pyoluteorin derivatives based on maritoclax. To date, we synthesized over 30 derivatives of maritoclax and evaluated their inhibitory actions and cytotoxicity toward Mcl-1-dependent cell lines. As a result, several functional groups were identified in the pyoluteorin motif that significantly potentiate biological activity. A number of such derivatives, KS04 and KS18, interacted with Mcl-1 in a conserved fashion according to NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling. KS04 and KS18 induced apoptosis selectively in Mcl-1-dependent but not Bcl-2-dependent K562 cells through selective Mcl-1 down-regulation, and synergistically enhanced apoptosis in combination with ABT-737. Moreover, the intraperitoneal administration of KS18 (10 mg/kg/d) and ABT-737 (20 mg/kg/d) significantly suppressed the growth of ABT-737-resistant HL-60 xenografts in nude mice without apparent toxicity. Overall, we identified the pharmacophore of pyoluteorin derivatives that act as potent and promising Mcl-1 antagonists against Mcl-1-dependent hematological cancers.
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Key Words
- ABTR, ABT-737 resistant
- AML, Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- AUCinf, area under curve extrapolated to time infinity
- AUClast, area under curve until last observed timepoint
- Apoptosis
- BH3, Bcl-2 homology domain 3
- Bcl-2 family
- Bcl-2, B-cell lymphoma-2
- CHX, Cycloheximide
- CL, rate of plasma clearance
- Cmax, maximal plasma concentration
- EC50, Half maximal effective concentration
- IRES, Internal ribosome entry site
- LD50, median lethal dose
- MTD, Maximal tolerated dose
- Mcl-1
- Mcl-1, Myeloid cell leukemia-1
- NMR, Nuclear magnetic resonance
- PARP, Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase
- SAR, Structure-activity relationship
- T1/2, plasma half-life
- Tmax, time to maximal plasma concentration
- VD, Volume of distribution
- i.p., Intraperitoneal
- leukemia
- lymphoma
- maritoclax
- multiple myeloma
- pyoluteorin
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenichiro Doi
- a Department of Pediatrics ; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine ; Hershey , PA USA
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Besbes S, Mirshahi M, Pocard M, Billard C. Strategies targeting apoptosis proteins to improve therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood Rev 2015; 29:345-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2015.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Balakrishnan K, Burger JA, Fu M, Doifode T, Wierda WG, Gandhi V. Regulation of Mcl-1 expression in context to bone marrow stromal microenvironment in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Neoplasia 2015; 16:1036-46. [PMID: 25499217 PMCID: PMC4309260 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2014.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence suggests that the resistance of CLL cells to apoptosis is partly mediated through the interactions between leukemia cells and adjacent stromal cells residing in the lymphatic tissue or bone marrow microenvironment. Mcl-1, an anti-apoptotic protein that is associated with failure to treatment is up-regulated in CLL lymphocytes after interaction with microenvironment. However, the regulation of its expression in context to microenvironment is unclear. We evaluated and compared changes in Mcl-1 in CLL B-cells in suspension culture and when co-cultured on stromal cells. The blockade of apoptosis in co-cultured CLL cells is associated with diminution in caspase-3 and PARP cleavage and is not dependent on cytogenetic profile or prognostic factors of the disease. Stroma-derived resistance to apoptosis is associated with a cascade of transcriptional events such as increase in levels of total RNA Pol II and its phosphorylation at Ser2 and Ser5, increase in the rate of global RNA synthesis, and amplification of Mcl-1 transcript levels. The latter is associated with increase in Mcl-1 protein level without an impact on the levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Post-translational modifications of protein kinases show increased phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473, Erk at Thr202/Tyr204 and Gsk-3β at Ser9 and augmentation of total Mcl-1 accumulation along with phosphorylation at Ser159/Thr163 sites. Collectively, stroma-induced apoptosis resistance is mediated through signaling proteins that regulate transcriptional and translational expression and post-translational modification of Mcl-1 in CLL cells in context to bone marrow stromal microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumudha Balakrishnan
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Jan A Burger
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Min Fu
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Tejaswini Doifode
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - William G Wierda
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Varsha Gandhi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
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40
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Hallek M. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: 2015 Update on diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment. Am J Hematol 2015; 90:446-60. [PMID: 25908509 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.23979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
DISEASE OVERVIEW Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the commonest leukemia in western countries. The disease typically occurs in elderly patients and has a highly variable clinical course. Leukemic transformation is initiated by specific genomic alterations that impair apoptosis of clonal B-cells. DIAGNOSIS The diagnosis is established by blood counts, blood smears, and immunophenotyping of circulating B-lymphocytes, which identify a clonal B-cell population carrying the CD5 antigen as well as B-cell markers. PROGNOSIS Two prognostic staging systems exist, the Rai and Binet staging systems, which are established by physical examination and blood counts. Various biological and genetic markers also have prognostic value. Deletions of the short arm of chromosome 17 (del(17p)) predict resistance to available chemotherapies. Comprehensive prognostic scores are currently being developed. THERAPY Patients with active or symptomatic disease or with advanced Binet or Rai stages require therapy. For physical fit patients, chemoimmunotherapy with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab remains the current standard therapy. For unfit patients, treatment with an anti-CD20 antibody (obinutuzumab or rituximab or ofatumumab) plus a milder chemotherapy (Chlorambucil) may be applied. At relapse, the initial treatment may be repeated, if the treatment-free interval exceeds two to three years. If the disease relapses earlier, therapy should be changed using alternative agents such as bendamustine (plus rituximab), alemtuzumab, lenalidomide, ofatumumab, ibrutinib, or idelalisib. Patients with a del(17p) or TP53 mutation can be treated with ibrutinib or a combination of idelalisib and rituximab. An allogeneic SCT may be considered in relapsing patients with TP53 mutations or del(17p) or patients that are refractory to repeated chemoimmunotherapies. Future challenges: Several new agents (e.g., ibrutinib, idelalisib, obinutuzumab) hold the potential to improve the outcome of patients with CLL. However, their optimal use (in terms of combination, sequence, and duration) is unknown. Therefore, CLL patients should be treated in clinical trials whenever possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hallek
- Department I of Internal Medicine; Center for Integrated Oncology Köln Bonn, Center of Excellence on “Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases”, University of Cologne; Cologne Germany
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Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by a typical defect in apoptosis and is still an incurable disease. Numerous apoptosis inducers have been described. These synthetic compounds and natural products (mainly derived from plants) display antileukemic properties in vitro and in vivo and some have even been tested in the clinic in CLL. They act through several different mechanisms. Most of them involve proteins of the Bcl-2 family, which are the key regulators in triggering the mitochondrial pathway of caspase-dependent apoptosis. Thus, the Mcl-1/Noxa axis appeared as a target. Here I overview natural and synthetic apoptosis inducers and their mechanisms of action in CLL cells. Opportunities for developing novel, apoptosis-based therapeutics are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Billard
- INSERM U 872, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe 18, Paris, France
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42
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Expression of executioner procaspases and their activation by a procaspase-activating compound in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. Blood 2014; 125:1126-36. [PMID: 25538042 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2014-01-546796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways converge to activate common downstream executioner caspases (caspase-3, -6, and -7), resulting in cell death. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), neoplastic B cells evade apoptosis owing to the overexpression of survival proteins. We hypothesized that direct activation of procaspases could bypass the apoptosis resistance induced by the upstream prosurvival proteins. The procaspase-activating compounds (PAC-1), including B-PAC-1 (L14R8), convert inactive executioner procaspases to their active cleaved forms by chelation of labile zinc ions. Both at transcript and protein levels, primary CLL cells express high levels of latent procaspases (3, -7, and -9). B-PAC-1 treatment induced CLL lymphocyte death which was higher than that in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells or B cells, and was independent of prognostic markers and microenvironmental factors. Mechanistically, B-PAC-1 treatment activated executioner procaspases and not other Zn-dependent enzymes. Exogenous zinc completely, and pancaspase inhibitors partially, reversed B-PAC-1-induced apoptosis, elucidating the zinc-mediated mechanism of action. The cell demise relied on the presence of caspase-3/7 but not caspase-8 or Bax/Bak proteins. B-PAC-1 in combination with an inhibitor of apoptosis protein antagonist (Smac066) synergistically induced apoptosis in CLL samples. Our investigations demonstrated that direct activation of executioner procaspases via B-PAC-1 treatment bypasses apoptosis resistance and is a novel approach for CLL therapeutics.
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Ren T, Shan J, Qing Y, Qian C, Li Q, Lu G, Li M, Li C, Peng Y, Luo H, Zhang S, Zhang W, Wang D, Zhou SF. Sequential treatment with AT-101 enhances cisplatin chemosensitivity in human non-small cell lung cancer cells through inhibition of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1-activated IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2014; 8:2517-29. [PMID: 25548514 PMCID: PMC4271790 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s71432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
AT-101, known as R-(–)-gossypol, is a potent anticancer agent, but its chemosensitizing effects remain elusive. The present study aimed to examine whether AT-101 could increase the sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells to cisplatin (CDDP) and the underlying mechanisms. We evaluated the efficacy of the sequential treatment with AT-101 and CDDP using both in vitro and in vivo models. Our results showed that as compared to AT-101 or CDDP monotherapy, or AT-101 plus CDDP concurrent treatment, the sequential treatment significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration and induced tumor cell death. Moreover, the efficacy of the sequential treatment was also confirmed in a mouse A549 xenograft model. Our study revealed that AT-101 inhibited the reduced status of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) and attenuated APE1-mediated IL-6/STAT3 signaling activation by decreasing IL-6 protein expression; suppressing the STAT3–DNA binding; and reducing the expression of the downstream antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. In conclusion, AT-101 enhances the sensitivity of A549 cells to CDDP in vitro and in vivo through the inhibition of APE1-mediated IL-6/STAT3 signaling activation, providing a rationale for the combined use of AT-101 and CDDP in non-small cell lung cancer chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Ren
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China ; Oncology Department, The Affiliated Hospital, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinlu Shan
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Qing
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengyuan Qian
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Li
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoshou Lu
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengxia Li
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chongyi Li
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Peng
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Luo
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiheng Zhang
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Zhang
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Wang
- Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shu-Feng Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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Chung C, Lee R. Ibrutinib, Obinutuzumab, Idelalisib, and Beyond: Review of Novel and Evolving Therapies for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Pharmacotherapy 2014; 34:1298-316. [DOI: 10.1002/phar.1509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Clement Chung
- Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital; Harris Health System; Houston Texas
| | - Rosetta Lee
- Smith Clinic; Harris Health System; Houston Texas
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45
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Amigo-Jiménez I, Bailón E, Ugarte-Berzal E, Aguilera-Montilla N, García-Marco JA, García-Pardo A. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 is involved in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell response to fludarabine and arsenic trioxide. PLoS One 2014; 9:e99993. [PMID: 24956101 PMCID: PMC4067296 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) contributes to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) pathology by regulating cell migration and preventing spontaneous apoptosis. It is not known if MMP-9 is involved in CLL cell response to chemotherapy and we address this in the present study, using arsenic trioxide (ATO) and fludarabine as examples of cytotoxic drugs. METHODS We used primary cells from the peripheral blood of CLL patients and MEC-1 cells stably transfected with an empty vector or a vector containing MMP-9. The effect of ATO and fludarabine was determined by flow cytometry and by the MTT assay. Expression of mRNA was measured by RT-PCR and qPCR. Secreted and cell-bound MMP-9 was analyzed by gelatin zymography and flow cytometry, respectively. Protein expression was analyzed by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation. Statistical analyses were performed using the two-tailed Student's t-test. RESULTS In response to ATO or fludarabine, CLL cells transcriptionally upregulated MMP-9, preceding the onset of apoptosis. Upregulated MMP-9 primarily localized to the membrane of early apoptotic cells and blocking apoptosis with Z-VAD prevented MMP-9 upregulation, thus linking MMP-9 to the apoptotic process. Culturing CLL cells on MMP-9 or stromal cells induced drug resistance, which was overcome by anti-MMP-9 antibodies. Accordingly, MMP-9-MEC-1 transfectants showed higher viability upon drug treatment than Mock-MEC-1 cells, and this effect was blocked by silencing MMP-9 with specific siRNAs. Following drug exposure, expression of anti-apoptotic proteins (Mcl-1, Bcl-xL, Bcl-2) and the Mcl-1/Bim, Mcl-1/Noxa, Bcl-2/Bax ratios were higher in MMP-9-cells than in Mock-cells. Similar results were obtained upon culturing primary CLL cells on MMP-9. CONCLUSIONS Our study describes for the first time that MMP-9 induces drug resistance by modulating proteins of the Bcl-2 family and upregulating the corresponding anti-apoptotic/pro-apoptotic ratios. This is a novel role for MMP-9 contributing to CLL progression. Targeting MMP-9 in combined therapies may thus improve CLL response to treatment.
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MESH Headings
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Apoptosis/drug effects
- Arsenic Trioxide
- Arsenicals/pharmacology
- Arsenicals/therapeutic use
- Cell Membrane/drug effects
- Cell Membrane/metabolism
- Down-Regulation/drug effects
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects
- Female
- HEK293 Cells
- Humans
- Hyaluronan Receptors/metabolism
- Integrin alpha4beta1/metabolism
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/enzymology
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/pathology
- Male
- Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/genetics
- Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/metabolism
- Middle Aged
- Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein/metabolism
- Oxides/pharmacology
- Oxides/therapeutic use
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/genetics
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun/genetics
- Transcription, Genetic/drug effects
- Up-Regulation/drug effects
- Vidarabine/analogs & derivatives
- Vidarabine/pharmacology
- Vidarabine/therapeutic use
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Amigo-Jiménez
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Department, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elvira Bailón
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Department, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Estefanía Ugarte-Berzal
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Department, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Noemí Aguilera-Montilla
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Department, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Angeles García-Pardo
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Department, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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Hsu KH, Tsai HW, Lin PW, Hsu YS, Lu PJ, Shan YS. Anti-apoptotic effects of osteopontin through the up-regulation of Mcl-1 in gastrointestinal stromal tumors. World J Surg Oncol 2014; 12:189. [PMID: 24947165 PMCID: PMC4080696 DOI: 10.1186/1477-7819-12-189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted phosphoprotein expressed by neoplastic cells involved in the malignant potential and aggressive phenotypes of human malignancies, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Our previous study showed that OPN can promote tumor cell proliferation in GISTs. In this series, we further aim to investigate the effect of OPN on apoptosis in GISTs. Methods The expression of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic proteins in response to OPN was evaluated. In vitro effects of OPN against apoptosis in GIST were also assessed. GIST specimens were also used for analyzing protein expression of specific apoptosis-related molecules and their clinicopathologic significance. Results Up-regulation of β-catenin and anti-apoptotic proteins Mcl-1 with concomitant suppression of apoptotic proteins in response to OPN was noted. A significant anti-apoptotic effect of OPN on imatinib-induced apoptosis was identified. Furthermore, Mcl-1 overexpression was significantly associated with OPN and β-catenin expression in tumor tissues, as well as worse survival clinically. Conclusions Our study identifies anti-apoptotic effects of OPN that, through β-catenin-mediated Mcl-1 up-regulation, significantly antagonized imatinib-induced apoptosis in GISTs. These results provide a potential rationale for therapeutic strategies targeting both OPN and Mcl-1 of the same anti-apoptotic signaling pathway, which may account for resistance to imatinib in GISTs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Yan-Shen Shan
- Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University, College of Medicine, Tainan 70428, Taiwan.
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47
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Billard C. Targeting antiapoptotic and proapoptotic proteins for novel chronic lymphocytic leukemia therapeutics. Int J Hematol Oncol 2014. [DOI: 10.2217/ijh.14.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Deficiency in the apoptotic program is one of the hallmarks of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Defective apoptosis mainly results from the constitutive activation of survival pathways, which leads to the transcription and overexpression of antiapoptotic factors. The latter include proteins of the Bcl-2 family and members of the IAP family. The strategy of inhibiting the expression or activity of these antiapoptotic factors has been extensively investigated. Conversely, upregulation of proapoptotic proteins, notably BH3-only members of the Bcl-2 family (capable of antagonizing their antiapoptotic counterparts) has also been consistently described. Either mechanism can promote apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells ex vivo. The present article recapitulates the mechanistic data and how they contribute to the development of therapeutic agents targeting apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Billard
- INSERM U965, Hôpital Lariboisière, Paris, France
- Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7, UMR S965, Paris, France
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Doi K, Liu Q, Gowda K, Barth BM, Claxton D, Amin S, Loughran TP, Wang HG. Maritoclax induces apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia cells with elevated Mcl-1 expression. Cancer Biol Ther 2014; 15:1077-86. [PMID: 24842334 DOI: 10.4161/cbt.29186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the deadliest leukemias for which there is an urgent and unmet need for the development of novel treatment strategies. Multiple drug resistance mechanisms mediate poor drug response and relapse in patients, and a selective Mcl-1 inhibitor has been speculated to be a promising agent in the treatment of AML. Here, we describe that maritoclax, a small molecule Mcl-1 inhibitor, induces Mcl-1 proteasomal degradation without transcriptional downregulation. Maritoclax killed AML cell lines and primary cells with elevated Mcl-1 levels through selective Mcl-1 downregulation, and synergized with ABT-737 to overcome Mcl-1-mediated ABT-737 resistance. Maritoclax was more effective than daunorubicin at inducing leukemic cell death when co-cultured with HS-5 bone marrow stroma cells, while being less toxic than daunorubicin against HS-5 stroma cells, primary mouse bone marrow cells, and hematopoietic progenitor cells. Moreover, maritoclax administration at 20 mg/kg/d intraperitoneally caused significant U937 tumor shrinkage, as well as 36% tumors remission rate in athymic nude mice, without apparent toxicity to healthy tissue or circulating blood cells. In summary, our studies suggest that maritoclax belongs to a novel class of Mcl-1 inhibitors that has the potential to be developed for the treatment of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenichiro Doi
- Department of Pediatrics; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA
| | - Qiang Liu
- Department of Pharmacology; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA
| | - Krishne Gowda
- Department of Pharmacology; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA
| | - Brian M Barth
- Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA
| | - David Claxton
- Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA
| | - Shantu Amin
- Department of Pharmacology; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA
| | - Thomas P Loughran
- Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA
| | - Hong-Gang Wang
- Department of Pediatrics; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA; Department of Pharmacology; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA; Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Hershey, PA USA
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Spijkers-Hagelstein JAP, Schneider P, Pinhanços SM, Garrido Castro P, Pieters R, Stam RW. Glucocorticoid sensitisation in Mixed Lineage Leukaemia-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by the pan-BCL-2 family inhibitors gossypol and AT-101. Eur J Cancer 2014; 50:1665-74. [PMID: 24703900 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2014.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Revised: 03/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY Resistance to glucocorticoids (GCs) remains a major problem in the treatment of infants with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) carrying Mixed Lineage Leukaemia (MLL) translocations. Despite intensive research, the mechanism(s) underlying GC resistance remain poorly understood. Recent studies suggested an important role for the pro-survival BCL-2 family member MCL1 in GC resistance in MLL-rearranged ALL. METHODS We exposed GC-resistant MLL-rearranged SEMK2 cells to potent MCL1-inhibiting agents, including gossypol, AT-101, rapamycin, SU9516 and obatoclax (GX15-070) and determined GC sensitisation using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Using Western blotting we analysed the protein expression of most BCL-2 family members in MLL-rearranged SEMK2 cells after treatment with potent MCL-1 inhibiting agents. RESULTS Only gossypol and its synthetic analogue AT-101 induced GC sensitivity in MLL-rearranged ALL cells. Remarkably, the GC-sensitising effects of gossypol and AT-101 appeared not to be mediated by down-regulation MCL1 or other anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family members, but rather involved up-regulation of multiple pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family members, in particular that of BIM and BID. CONCLUDING REMARKS In conclusion, gossypol and AT-101 induce GC sensitivity in MLL-rearranged ALL cells, most likely mediated by the activation of BID and BIM without the necessity to down-regulate anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family members like MCL1. Hence, co-administration of either gossypol or AT-101 during GC treatment of GC-resistant MLL-rearranged ALL patients may overcome GC resistance and improve prognosis in this high-risk childhood leukaemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill A P Spijkers-Hagelstein
- Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pauline Schneider
- Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sandra Mimoso Pinhanços
- Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patricia Garrido Castro
- Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Pieters
- Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald W Stam
- Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Erasmus MC - Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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50
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Development and characterization of a physiologically relevant model of lymphocyte migration in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood 2014; 123:3607-17. [PMID: 24637360 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2013-12-544569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that lymphocyte trafficking contributes to the clinical course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but to date, only static in vitro cultures have been used to study these phenomena. To address this lack of data, we have developed a dynamic in vitro model in which CLL cells experience shear forces equivalent to those in capillary beds and are made to flow through capillary-like hollow fibers lined with endothelial cells. CLL cells treated in this way increased their expression of CD62L and CXCR4 (both P < .0001) and of CD49d and CD5 (both P = .003) directly as a result of the shear force. Furthermore, CLL cells migrated through the endothelium into the "extravascular" space (mean migration, 1.37% ± 2.14%; n = 21). Migrated CLL cells had significantly higher expression of CD49d (P = .02), matrix metallopeptidase-9 (P = .004), CD38 (P = .009), CD80 (P = .04), and CD69 (P = .04) compared with CLL cells that remained in the circulation. The degree of migration observed strongly correlated with CD49d expression (r(2), 0.47; P = .01), and treatment with the CD49d-blocking antibody natalizumab resulted in significantly decreased migration (P = .01). Taken together, our data provide evidence for a novel, dynamic, and tractable in vitro model of lymphocyte migration and confirm that CD49d is a critical regulator of this process in CLL.
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