Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 mutations induce BCL-2 dependence in acute myeloid leukemia

Nat Med. 2015 Feb;21(2):178-84. doi: 10.1038/nm.3788. Epub 2015 Jan 19.

Abstract

Mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 and 2 proteins alter the epigenetic landscape in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells through production of the oncometabolite (R)-2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG). Here we performed a large-scale RNA interference (RNAi) screen to identify genes that are synthetic lethal to the IDH1(R132H) mutation in AML and identified the anti-apoptotic gene BCL-2. IDH1- and IDH2-mutant primary human AML cells were more sensitive than IDH1/2 wild-type cells to ABT-199, a highly specific BCL-2 inhibitor that is currently in clinical trials for hematologic malignancies, both ex vivo and in xenotransplant models. This sensitization effect was induced by (R)-2-HG-mediated inhibition of the activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) in the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC); suppression of COX activity lowered the mitochondrial threshold to trigger apoptosis upon BCL-2 inhibition. Our findings indicate that IDH1/2 mutation status may identify patients that are likely to respond to pharmacologic BCL-2 inhibition and form the rational basis for combining agents that disrupt ETC activity with ABT-199 in future clinical studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis
  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Electron Transport
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Glutarates / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Isocitrate Dehydrogenase / genetics*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / genetics*
  • Mutation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
  • Glutarates
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Sulfonamides
  • alpha-hydroxyglutarate
  • IDH2 protein, human
  • Isocitrate Dehydrogenase
  • IDH1 protein, human
  • Electron Transport Complex IV
  • venetoclax