Project description:Tyrosine kinase activity is the crucial enzymatic activity driving all known functions of the BCR-ABL protein and is required for protection from apoptosis by BCR-ABL, therefore, targeting this enzyme is an effective approach for therapeutic strategies. Recently, a novel structural entity, imatinib (STI571; Novartis, Basel, Switzerland), a potent and selective inhibitor of the tyrosine kinase activity of BCR-ABL, has shown promise against Ph-positive leukemia in human clinical trials. However, the emergence of imatinib resistance in patients with acute forms of Ph-positive leukemia has highlighted the need for overriding chemotherapy to eradicate this disease. AMN107 and BMS-354825 are clinically active “next-generation” BCR-ABL inhibitors. One potentially powerful approach is to use these compounds in combination with imatinib. The rationale for such approaches is that an inhibitor cocktail may target the widest range of resistant clones and thereby delay the onset of acquired drug resistance. More potent BCR-ABL inhibitors would be to target residual leukemia that persists in patients in whom imatinib induces durable remission but failed to eradicate the disease. From these points, our studies are performed to determine (1) the differences of molecular signaling pathways between BMS-354825 and imatinib (2) the mechanisms by which drug resistance of BMS-354825 and imatinib occur except for point mutation of BCR-ABL kinase domain. Keywords: drug sensitivity
Project description:One of the main objective of this study is to characterize Imatinib induced MSCs-mediated resistance evolution in BCR-ABL+ ALL. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) Imatinib (IM) is used as a frontline therapy for BCR-ABL–positive (BCR-ABL+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, resistance to IM therapy develops rapidly in a substantial proportion of treated patients, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the resistance are poorly understood. In this study, we identified a novel cascade of consequential events that are initiated by IM, which traverse through mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) to leukemic cells, and lead to IM resistance. Our data showed that MSCs exposed to IM were decreased in their stemness and acquired a new functional status that enabled the formation of leukemic cell niches. These MSCs had increased expression of genes encoding chemo-attractants, adhesion molecules, and pro-survival stimulant growth factors. We found that BCR-ABL+ leukemic cells persistently exposed to IM were able to switch from BCR-ABL–driven signaling to growth factor–driven signaling for survival, and this switch was reversible. Blocking both the BCR-ABL–driven pathway and the growth factor–driven JAK pathway effectively eradicated the leukemic cell niches. Our findings illustrate TKI-induced, MSC-mediated drug resistance, suggesting an effective way to eliminate this type of drug resistance in patients with BCR-ABL+ ALL. Gene expression signatures were compared from triplicate samples of MSCs that were either treated with vehicle or imatinib for 32, 64 and 96 hours.
Project description:One of the main objective of this study is to characterize Imatinib induced MSCs-mediated resistance evolution in BCR-ABL+ ALL. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) Imatinib (IM) is used as a frontline therapy for BCR-ABL–positive (BCR-ABL+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, resistance to IM therapy develops rapidly in a substantial proportion of treated patients, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the resistance are poorly understood. In this study, we identified a novel cascade of consequential events that are initiated by IM, which traverse through mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) to leukemic cells, and lead to IM resistance. Our data showed that MSCs exposed to IM were decreased in their stemness and acquired a new functional status that enabled the formation of leukemic cell niches. These MSCs had increased expression of genes encoding chemo-attractants, adhesion molecules, and pro-survival stimulant growth factors. We found that BCR-ABL+ leukemic cells persistently exposed to IM were able to switch from BCR-ABL–driven signaling to growth factor–driven signaling for survival, and this switch was reversible. Blocking both the BCR-ABL–driven pathway and the growth factor–driven JAK pathway effectively eradicated the leukemic cell niches. Our findings illustrate TKI-induced, MSC-mediated drug resistance, suggesting an effective way to eliminate this type of drug resistance in patients with BCR-ABL+ ALL.
Project description:Although Bcr-Abl kinase inhibitors have proven effective in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), they generally fail to completely eradicate Bcr-Abl+ leukemia cells. To identify genes whose inhibition sensitizes Bcr-Abl+ leukemias to killing by Bcr-Abl inhibitors, we performed an RNAi-based synthetic lethal screen with imatinib in CML cells. This screen identified numerous components of a Wnt/Ca2+/NFAT signaling pathway. Antagonism of this pathway led to impaired NFAT activity, decreased cytokine production and enhanced sensitivity to Bcr-Abl inhibition. Furthermore, NFAT inhibition with cyclosporin A facilitated leukemia cell elimination by the Bcr-Abl inhibitor dasatinib and markedly improved survival in a mouse model of Bcr-Abl+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Targeting this pathway in combination with Bcr-Abl inhibition could improve treatment of Bcr-Abl+ leukemias. We utilized a genome-wide shRNA library in combination with microarray analysis to screen for gene targets in chronic myeloid leukemia cells that cooperate with imatinib.
Project description:Although Bcr-Abl kinase inhibitors have proven effective in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), they generally fail to completely eradicate Bcr-Abl+ leukemia cells. To identify genes whose inhibition sensitizes Bcr-Abl+ leukemias to killing by Bcr-Abl inhibitors, we performed an RNAi-based synthetic lethal screen with imatinib in CML cells. This screen identified numerous components of a Wnt/Ca2+/NFAT signaling pathway. Antagonism of this pathway led to impaired NFAT activity, decreased cytokine production and enhanced sensitivity to Bcr-Abl inhibition. Furthermore, NFAT inhibition with cyclosporin A facilitated leukemia cell elimination by the Bcr-Abl inhibitor dasatinib and markedly improved survival in a mouse model of Bcr-Abl+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Targeting this pathway in combination with Bcr-Abl inhibition could improve treatment of Bcr-Abl+ leukemias.
Project description:This study compared gene expression in murine bcr-abl positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells in vivo in allogeneic BMT recipients compared to syngneneic BMT recipients.
Project description:We analysed the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in drug transporter genes on the molecular response to imatinib, using 857 SNPs covering 94 drug transporter genes on 355 chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) patients. Samples were analyzed with respect to sex, imatinib daily dose, SOKAL score and the levels of molecular responses. The 'characteristics: molecular response' values represent the ratio BCR-ABL/ABL*100, which is determined by RT-QPCR (real time quantitative PCR). It is the percentage of the number of copies of BCR-ABL transcript on the number of ABL transcript copies.
Project description:Precursor B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B ALL) can be subdivided into different categories based on genetic abnormalities. One type of pre-B ALL is characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome, the derivative chromosome 22 that is one product of a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 22 and 9. The 22/9 translocation fuses the 5’ part of the BCR gene to the 3’ end of the c-ABL gene. The resulting BCR/ABL fusion encodes a Bcr/Abl protein with deregulated Abl kinase activity. Two major fusion proteins are found in Ph-positive leukemias which differ in molecular weight and the size of the Bcr moiety. The P190 Bcr/Abl protein is common in Ph-positive ALL. Targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as nilotinib are used therapeutically to treat this type of leukemia. The 22/9 translocation fuses the 5’ part of the BCR gene to the 3’ end of the c-ABL gene. The resulting BCR/ABL fusion encodes a Bcr/Abl protein with deregulated Abl kinase activity. Two major fusion proteins are found in Ph-positive leukemias which differ in molecular weight and the size of the Bcr moiety. The P190 Bcr/Abl protein is common in Ph-positive ALL. Targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as nilotinib are used therapeutically to treat this type of leukemia.
Project description:Aberrantly expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been described in diverse human diseases and cancer development. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a hematological malignancy induced by Bcr-Abl hybrid gene. Owing to the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), especially the first-generation Imatinib, over 90% of CML patients can be cured in recent years. Here we attempt to identify Imatinib-inducible lncRNAs associated with CML by analyzing lncRNA expression profiles in K562 cells after Imatinib or control treatment. LncRNA microarray analysis revealed that numerous lncRNAs were differentially expressed in K562 cells after Imatinib treatment. In this study, we focus on a conserved, Imatinib-inducible lncRNA (IIR) family, named lncRNA-IIRX. Upregulation of lncRNA-IIRX has been detected in both human and mouse Abl-transformed cell lines after Imatinib treatment. Interestingly, lncRNA-IIRX levels were significantly lower in leukemic cells derived from Bcr-Abl-positive ALL patients than those in normal control group. Furthermore, altering lncRNA-IIRX expression remarkably affected survival of Abl-transformed leukemic cells, and tumorigensis induced by these leukemic cells in xenograft mouse model. Knockdown of lncRNA-IIRX in transgenic mice significantly promoted Bcr-Abl-mediated primary bone marrow transformation, and leukemia development in leukemia mouse model. These results indicate that lncRNA-IIRX functions as a suppressor gene in Bcr-Abl-induced tumorigenesis, and may provide novel insights into complicated mechanisms underlying cellular transformation by Bcr-Abl oncogene. This microarray was performed to identify Imatinib-inducible lncRNAs associated with CML.