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Staudt D, Murray HC, McLachlan T, Alvaro F, Enjeti AK, Verrills NM, Dun MD. Targeting Oncogenic Signaling in Mutant FLT3 Acute Myeloid Leukemia: The Path to Least Resistance. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19103198. [PMID: 30332834 PMCID: PMC6214138 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19103198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The identification of recurrent driver mutations in genes encoding tyrosine kinases has resulted in the development of molecularly-targeted treatment strategies designed to improve outcomes for patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The receptor tyrosine kinase FLT3 is the most commonly mutated gene in AML, with internal tandem duplications within the juxtamembrane domain (FLT3-ITD) or missense mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain (FLT3-TKD) present in 30–35% of AML patients at diagnosis. An established driver mutation and marker of poor prognosis, the FLT3 tyrosine kinase has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target, and thus, encouraged the development of FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, the therapeutic benefit of FLT3 inhibition, particularly as a monotherapy, frequently results in the development of treatment resistance and disease relapse. Commonly, FLT3 inhibitor resistance occurs by the emergence of secondary lesions in the FLT3 gene, particularly in the second tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) at residue Asp835 (D835) to form a ‘dual mutation’ (ITD-D835). Individual FLT3-ITD and FLT3-TKD mutations influence independent signaling cascades; however, little is known about which divergent signaling pathways are controlled by each of the FLT3 specific mutations, particularly in the context of patients harboring dual ITD-D835 mutations. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the known discrete and cooperative signaling pathways deregulated by each of the FLT3 specific mutations, as well as the therapeutic approaches that hold the most promise of more durable and personalized therapeutic approaches to improve treatments of FLT3 mutant AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilana Staudt
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
- Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation & Translation, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
| | - Heather C Murray
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
- Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation & Translation, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
| | - Tabitha McLachlan
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
- Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation & Translation, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
| | - Frank Alvaro
- Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation & Translation, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
- John Hunter Children's Hospital, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
| | - Anoop K Enjeti
- Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation & Translation, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
- Calvary Mater Hospital, Hematology Department, Waratah, NSW 2298, Australia.
- NSW Health Pathology North, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
| | - Nicole M Verrills
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
- Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation & Translation, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
| | - Matthew D Dun
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
- Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation & Translation, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia.
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Sexauer AN, Tasian SK. Targeting FLT3 Signaling in Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Pediatr 2017; 5:248. [PMID: 29209600 PMCID: PMC5702014 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2017.00248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the second most common leukemia of childhood and is associated with high rates of chemotherapy resistance and relapse. Clinical outcomes for children with AML treated with maximally intensive multi-agent chemotherapy lag far behind those of children with the more common acute lymphoblastic leukemia, demonstrating continued need for new therapeutic approaches to decrease relapse risk and improve long-term survival. Mutations in the FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3 receptor gene (FLT3) occur in approximately 25% of children and adults with AML and are associated with particularly poor prognoses. Identification and development of targeted FLT3 inhibitors represents a major precision medicine paradigm shift in the treatment of patients with AML. While further development of many first-generation FLT3 inhibitors was hampered by limited potency and significant toxicity due to effects upon other kinases, the more selective second- and third-generation FLT3 inhibitors have demonstrated excellent tolerability and remarkable efficacy in the relapsed/refractory and now de novo FLT3-mutated AML settings. While these newest and most promising inhibitors have largely been studied in the adult population, pediatric investigation of FLT3 inhibitors with chemotherapy is relatively recently ongoing or planned. Successful development of FLT3 inhibitor-based therapies will be essential to improve outcomes in children with this high-risk subtype of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy N Sexauer
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States.,Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sarah K Tasian
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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