Development of rituximab-resistant B-NHL clones: an in vitro model for studying tumor resistance to monoclonal antibody-mediated immunotherapy

Methods Mol Biol. 2011:731:407-19. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61779-080-5_33.

Abstract

Therapeutic strategies for cancer include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation. Such therapies result in significant short-term clinical responses; however, relapses and recurrences occur with no treatments. Targeted therapies using monoclonal antibodies have improved responses with minimal toxicities. For instance, Rituximab (chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody) was the first FDA-approved monoclonal antibody for the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The clinical response was significantly improved when used in combination with chemotherapy. However, a subset of patients does not respond or becomes resistant to further treatment. Rituximab-resistant (RR) clones were used as a model to address the potential mechanisms of resistance. In this chapter, we discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms by which rituximab signals the cells and modifies several intracellular survival/antiapoptotic pathways, leading to its chemo/immunosensitizing activities. RR clones were developed to mimic in vivo resistance observed in patients. In comparison with the sensitive parental cells, the RR clones are refractory to rituximab-mediated cell signaling and chemosensitization. Noteworthy, interference with the hyperactivated survival/antiapoptotic pathways in the RR clones with various pharmacological inhibitors mimicked rituximab effects in the parental cells. The development of RR clones provides a paradigm for studying resistance by other anticancer monoclonal antibodies in various tumor models.

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / complications
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Clone Cells / drug effects*
  • Clone Cells / metabolism
  • Clone Cells / pathology
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / complications
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / genetics
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / pathology*
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / therapy*
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / drug therapy
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / pathology
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • Rituximab
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • NF-kappa B
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • Rituximab
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases