Synergistic antileukemic effects between ABT-869 and chemotherapy involve downregulation of cell cycle-regulated genes and c-Mos-mediated MAPK pathway

Leukemia. 2008 Jan;22(1):138-46. doi: 10.1038/sj.leu.2404960. Epub 2007 Oct 18.

Abstract

Internal tandem duplications (ITDs) of fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) receptor play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and represent an attractive therapeutic target. ABT-869 has demonstrated potent effects in AML cells with FLT3-ITDs. Here, we provide further evidence that ABT-869 treatment significantly downregulates cyclins D and E but increases the expression of p21 and p27. ABT-869 induces apoptosis through downregulation of Bcl-xL and upregulation of BAK, BID and BAD. We also evaluate the combinations of ABT-869 and chemotherapy. ABT-869 demonstrates significant sequence-dependent synergism with cytarabine and doxorubicin in cell lines and primary leukemia samples. The optimal combination was validated in MV4-11 xenografts. Low-density array analysis revealed the synergistic interaction involved in downregulation of cell cycle and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway genes. CCND1 and c-Mos were the most significantly inhibited targets on both transcriptional and translational levels. Treatment with short hairpin RNAs targeting either CCND1 or c-Mos further sensitized MV4-11 cells to ABT-869. These findings suggest that specific pathway genes were further targeted by adding chemotherapy and support the rationale of combination therapy. Thus, a clinical trial using sequence-dependent combination therapy with ABT-869 in AML is warranted.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cytarabine / administration & dosage
  • Down-Regulation
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Drug Synergism
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Humans
  • Indazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, SCID
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Phenylurea Compounds / therapeutic use*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mos / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mos / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / pharmacology
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Transplantation, Heterologous

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Indazoles
  • Phenylurea Compounds
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Cytarabine
  • Doxorubicin
  • linifanib
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mos
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases