Regulation of PI3K signaling in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a novel PTEN/Ikaros/miR-26b mechanism reveals a critical targetable role for PIK3CD

Leukemia. 2017 Nov;31(11):2355-2364. doi: 10.1038/leu.2017.80. Epub 2017 Mar 10.

Abstract

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy, and T-ALL patients are prone to early disease relapse and suffer from poor outcomes. The PTEN, PI3K/AKT and Notch pathways are frequently altered in T-ALL. PTEN is a tumor suppressor that inactivates the PI3K pathway. We profiled miRNAs in Pten-deficient mouse T-ALL and identified miR-26b as a potentially dysregulated gene. We validated decreased expression levels of miR-26b in mouse and human T-ALL cells. In addition, expression of exogenous miR-26b reduced proliferation and promoted apoptosis of T-ALL cells in vitro, and hindered progression of T-ALL in vivo. Furthermore, miR-26b inhibited the PI3K/AKT pathway by directly targeting PIK3CD, the gene encoding PI3Kδ, in human T-ALL cell lines. ShRNA for PIK3CD and CAL-101, a PIK3CD inhibitor, reduced the growth and increased apoptosis of T-ALL cells. Finally, we showed that PTEN induced miR-26b expression by regulating the differential expression of Ikaros isoforms that are transcriptional regulators of miR-26b. These results suggest that miR-26b functions as a tumor suppressor in the development of T-ALL. Further characterization of targets and regulators of miR-26b may be promising for the development of novel therapies.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Ikaros Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, SCID
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Middle Aged
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / metabolism*
  • Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / enzymology*
  • Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / genetics
  • Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • IKZF1 protein, human
  • MIRN26A microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Ikaros Transcription Factor
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • PIK3CD protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • PTEN protein, human