Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are frequently deregulated in leukemia, yet the biological consequences of this deregulation remain elusive. The mechanisms underlying aberrant methylation, a ...hallmark of leukemia, are not fully understood. Here we investigated the role of RTKs in methylation abnormalities and characterized the hypomethylating activities of RTK inhibitors.
Whether and how RTKs regulate expression of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) as well as global and gene-specific DNA methylation were examined. The pharmacologic activities and mechanisms of actions of RTK inhibitors
o,
, in mice, and in nilotinib-treated leukemia patients were determined.
Upregulation of RTKs paralleled DNMT overexpression in leukemia cell lines and patient blasts. Knockdown of RTKs disrupted, whereas enforced expression increased DNMT expression and DNA methylation. Treatment with the RTK inhibitor, nilotinib, resulted in a reduction of Sp1-dependent DNMT1 expression, the diminution of global DNA methylation, and the upregulation of the
gene through promoter hypomethylation in AML cell lines and patient blasts. This led to disruption of AML cell clonogenicity and promotion of cellular apoptosis without obvious changes in cell cycle. Importantly, nilotinib administration in mice and human patients with AML impaired expression of DNMTs followed by DNA hypomethylation, TSG re-expression, and leukemia regression.
Our findings demonstrate RTKs as novel regulators of DNMT-dependent DNA methylation and define DNA methylation status in AML cells as a pharmacodynamic marker for their response to RTK-based therapy, providing new therapeutic avenues for RTK inhibitors in overcoming epigenetic abnormalities in leukemia.
.
Although small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is highly responsive to chemotherapies (e.g., cisplatin-etoposide doublet), virtually almost all responsive SCLC patients experience disease recurrence ...characterized by drug resistance. The mechanisms underlying cisplatin resistance remain elusive. Here we report that cell-intrinsic expression of PD1 and PD-L1, two immune checkpoints, is required for sustained expansion of SCLC cells under cisplatin selection. Indeed, PD1 and PD-L1 were expressed at a higher level in lung cancer cell lines, tumor tissues, and importantly, in SCLC cells resistant to cisplatin (H69R, H82R), when compared to respective controls. Genetic abrogation of PD1 and PD-L1 in H69R and H82R cells decreased their proliferation rate, and restored their sensitivity to cisplatin. Mechanistically, PD-L1 upregulation in H69R and H82R cells was attributed to the overexpression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) or receptor tyrosine kinase KIT, as knockdown of DNMT1 or KIT in H69R and H82R cells led to PD-L1 downregulation. Consequently, combined knockdown of PD-L1 with KIT or DNMT1 resulted in more pronounced inhibition of H69R and H82R cell growth. Thus, cell intrinsic PD1/PD-L1 signaling may be a predictor for poor efficacy of cisplatin treatment, and targeting the cellular PD1/PD-L1 axis may improve chemosensitization of aggressive SCLC.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aberrant DNA hypermethylation contributes to myeloid leukemogenesis by silencing structurally normal genes involved in hematopoiesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs that regulate gene ...expression by targeting protein-coding mRNAs. Recently, miRNAs have been shown to play a role as both targets and effectors in gene hypermethylation and silencing in malignant cells. In the current study, we showed that enforced expression of miR-29b in acute myeloid leukemia cells resulted in marked reduction of the expression of DNA methyltransferases DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B at both RNA and protein levels. This in turn led to decrease in global DNA methylation and reexpression of p15INK4b and ESR1 via promoter DNA hypomethylation. Although down-regulation of DNMT3A and DNMT3B was the result of a direct interaction of miR-29b with the 3′ untranslated regions of these genes, no predicted miR-29b interaction sites were found in the DNMT1 3′ untranslated regions. Further experiments revealed that miR-29b down-regulates DNMT1 indirectly by targeting Sp1, a transactivator of the DNMT1 gene. Altogether, these data provide novel functional links between miRNAs and aberrant DNA hypermethylation in acute myeloid leukemia and suggest a potentially therapeutic use of synthetic miR-29b oligonucleotides as effective hypomethylating compounds.
Lung cancer cells are sensitive to 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (decitabine) or midostaurin (PKC412), because decitabine restores the expression of methylation-silenced tumor suppressor genes, whereas ...PKC412 inhibits hyperactive kinase signaling, which is essential for cancer cell growth. Here, we demonstrated that resistance to decitabine (decitabineR) or PKC412 (PKC412R) eventually results from simultaneously remethylated DNA and reactivated kinase cascades. Indeed, both decitabineR and PKC412R displayed the up-regulation of DNA methyltransferase DNMT1 and tyrosine-protein kinase KIT, the enhanced phosphorylation of KIT and its downstream effectors, and the increased global and gene-specific DNA methylation with the down-regulation of tumor suppressor gene epithelial cadherin CDH1. Interestingly, decitabineR and PKC412R had higher capability of colony formation and wound healing than parental cells in vitro, which were attributed to the hyperactive DNMT1 or KIT, because inactivation of KIT or DNMT1 reciprocally blocked decitabineR or PKC412R cell proliferation. Further, DNMT1 knockdown sensitized PKC412R cells to PKC412; conversely, KIT depletion synergized with decitabine in eliminating decitabineR. Importantly, when engrafted into nude mice, decitabineR and PKC412R had faster proliferation with stronger tumorigenicity that was caused by the reactivated KIT kinase signaling and further CDH1 silencing. These findings identify functional cross-talk between KIT and DNMT1 in the development of drug resistance, implying the reciprocal targeting of protein kinases and DNA methyltransferases as an essential strategy for durable responses in lung cancer.
The DNA methyltransferase DNMT1 and tyrosine-protein kinase KIT are crucial for lung tumorigenesis, and the resistance to their inhibitors invariably develops.
Simultaneously reactivated DNMT1 and KIT endow drug-resistant cells with a survival and growth advantage.
Reciprocal inactivation of DNMT1 and KIT eradicates drug-resistant cells.
DNMT1 and KIT interplay represents a therapeutic target for relapsed or refractory lung cancer patients.
The oncogenic fusion protein AML1-ETO retains the ability of AML1 to interact with the enhancer core DNA sequences, but blocks AML1-dependent transcription. Previous studies have shown that ...post-translational modification of AML1-ETO may play a role in its regulation. Here we report that AML1-ETO-positive patients, with high histone lysine methyltransferase Enhancer of zeste homolog 1 (EZH1) expression, show a worse overall survival than those with lower EZH1 expression. EZH1 knockdown impairs survival and proliferation of AML1-ETO-expressing cells in vitro and in vivo. We find that EZH1 WD domain binds to the AML1-ETO NHR1 domain and methylates AML1-ETO at lysine 43 (Lys43). This requires the EZH1 SET domain, which augments AML1-ETO-dependent repression of tumor suppressor genes. Loss of Lys43 methylation by point mutation or domain deletion impairs AML1-ETO-repressive activity. These findings highlight the role of EZH1 in non-histone lysine methylation, indicating that cooperation between AML1-ETO and EZH1 and AML1-ETO site-specific lysine methylation promote AML1-ETO transcriptional repression in leukemia.
Hypermethylation of 5'-cytosine-guanosine islands of tumor suppressor genes resulting in their silencing has been proposed to be a hallmark of various tumors. Modulation of DNA methylation with DNA ...methylation inhibitors has been shown to result in cancer cell differentiation or apoptosis and represents a novel strategy for chemotherapy. Currently, effective DNA methylation inhibitors are mainly limited to decitabine and 5-azacytidine, which still show unfavorable toxicity profiles in the clinical setting. Thus, discovery and development of novel hypomethylating agents, with a more favorable toxicity profile, is essential to broaden the spectrum of epigenetic therapy. Parthenolide, the principal bioactive sesquiterpene lactone of feverfew, has been shown to alkylate Cys(38) of p65 to inhibit nuclear factor-kappaB activation and exhibit anti-tumor activity in human malignancies. In this article, we report that parthenolide 1) inhibits DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) with an IC(50) of 3.5 microM, possibly through alkylation of the proximal thiolate of Cys(1226) of the catalytic domain by its gamma-methylene lactone, and 2) down-regulates DNMT1 expression possibly associated with its SubG(1) cell-cycle arrest or the interruption of transcriptional factor Sp1 binding to the promoter of DNMT1. These dual functions of parthenolide result in the observed in vitro and in vivo global DNA hypomethylation. Furthermore, parthenolide has been shown to reactivate tumor suppressor HIN-1 gene in vitro possibly associated with its promoter hypomethylation. Hence, our study established parthenolide as an effective DNA methylation inhibitor, representing a novel prototype for DNMT1 inhibitor discovery and development from natural structural-diversified sesquiterpene lactones.
Purpose
To simultaneously quantify intracellular nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) and deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) pools and to assess their changes produced by interfering with ribonucleotide ...reductase (RNR) expression in leukemia cells.
Methods
A HPLC-MS/MS system was used to quantify intracellular NTP and dNTP pools.
Results
The assay was linear between 50 nM, the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ), and 10 μM in cell lysate. The within-day coefficients of variation (CVs,
n
= 5) were found to be 12.0–18.0% at the LLOQ and 3.0–9.0% between 500 and 5,000 nM for dNTPs and 8.0–15.0% and 2.0–6.0% for NTPs. The between-day CVs (
n
= 5) were 9.0–13.0% and 3.0–11.0% for dNTPs and 9.0–13.0% and 3.0–6.0% for NTPs. The within-day accuracy values were 93.0–119.0% for both NTPs and dNTPs. ATP overlapped with dGTP and they were analyzed as a composite. This method was applied to measure basal intracellular dNTPs/NTPs in five leukemia cell lines exposed to the RNR antisense GTI-2040. Following drug treatment, dCTP and dATP levels were found to decrease significantly in MV4-11 and K562 cells. Additionally, perturbation of dNTP/NTP levels in bone marrow sample of a patient treated with GTI-2040 was detected.
Conclusions
This method provides a practical tool to measure intracellular dNTP/NTP levels in cells and clinical samples.
Antisense oligonucleotide G3139-mediated down-regulation of Bcl-2 is a potential strategy for overcoming chemoresistance in leukemia. However, the limited efficacy shown in recent clinical trials ...calls attention to the need for further development of novel and more efficient delivery systems. In order to address this issue, transferrin receptor (TfR)-targeted, protamine-containing lipid nanoparticles (Tf-LNs) were synthesized as delivery vehicles for G3139. The LNs were produced by an ethanol dilution method, and lipid-conjugated Tf ligand was then incorporated by a postinsertion method. The resulting Tf-LNs had a mean particle diameter of ∼90 nm and G3139 loading efficiency of 90.4%. Antisense delivery efficiency of Tf-LNs was evaluated in K562, MV4-11, and Raji leukemia cell lines. The results showed that Tf-LNs were more effective than nontargeted LNs and free G3139 (p < 0.05) in decreasing Bcl-2 expression (by up to 62% at the mRNA level in K562 cells) and in inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis. In addition, Bcl-2 down-regulation and apoptosis induced by Tf-LN G3139 were shown to be blocked by excess free Tf and thus were TfR-dependent. Cell lines with higher TfR expression also showed greater Bcl-2 down-regulation. Furthermore, up-regulation of TfR expression in leukemia cells by iron chelator deferoxamine resulted in a further increase in antisense effect (up to 79% Bcl-2 reduction in K562 at the mRNA level) and in caspase-dependent apoptosis (by ∼3-fold) by Tf-LN. Tf-LN-mediated delivery combined with TfR up-regulation by deferoxamine appears to be a potentially promising strategy for enhancing the delivery efficiency and therapeutic efficacy of antisense oligonucleotides.
In t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the AML1/ETO fusion protein promotes leukemogenesis by recruiting class I histone deacetylase (HDAC)-containing repressor complex to the promoter of AML1 ...target genes. Valproic acid (VPA), a commonly used antiseizure and mood stabilizer drug, has been shown to cause growth arrest and induce differentiation of malignant cells via HDAC inhibition. VPA causes selective proteasomal degradation of HDAC2 but not other class I HDACs (i.e., HDAC 1, 3, and 8). Therefore, we raised the question of whether this drug can effectively target the leukemogenic activity of the AML1/ETO fusion protein that also recruits HDAC1, a key regulator of normal and aberrant histone acetylation. We report here that VPA treatment disrupts the AML1/ETO-HDAC1 physical interaction, stimulates the global dissociation of AML1/ETO-HDAC1 complex from the promoter of AML1/ETO target genes, and induces relocation of both AML1/ETO and HDAC1 protein from nuclear to perinuclear region. Furthermore, we show that mechanistically these effects associate with a significant inhibition of HDAC activity, histone H3 and H4 hyperacetylation, and recruitment of RNA polymerase II, leading to transcriptional reactivation of target genes (i.e., IL-3) otherwise silenced by AML1/ETO fusion protein. Ultimately, these pharmacological effects resulted in significant antileukemic activity mediated by partial cell differentiation and caspase-dependent apoptosis. Taken together, these data support the notion that VPA might effectively target AML1/ETO-driven leukemogenesis through disruption of aberrant HDAC1 function and that VPA should be integrated in novel therapeutic approaches for AML1/ETO-positive AML.
The N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase FTO plays an oncogenic role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Despite the promising recent progress for developing some small‐molecule FTO inhibitors, the ...clinical potential remains limited due to mild biological function, toxic side effects and low sensitivity and/or specificity to leukemic stem cells (LSCs). Herein, FTO inhibitor‐loaded GSH‐bioimprinted nanocomposites (GNPIPP12MA) are developed that achieves targeting of the FTO/m6A pathway synergized GSH depletion for enhancing anti‐leukemogenesis. GNPIPP12MA can selectively target leukemia blasts, especially LSCs, and induce ferroptosis by disrupting intracellular redox status. In addition, GNPIPP12MA increases global m6A RNA modification and decreases the transcript levels in LSCs. GNPIPP12MA augments the efficacy of the PD‐L1 blockade by increasing the infiltration of cytotoxic T cells for enhanced anti‐leukemia immunity. This study offers insights for a GSH‐bioimprinted nanoplatform targeting m6A RNA methylation as a synergistic treatment strategy against cancer stem cells that may translate to clinical applications.
FTO inhibitor‐loaded GSH‐bioimprinted nanocomposites (GNPIPP12MA) can selectively target leukemia blasts, especially leukemic stem cells (LSCs), and induce ferroptosis by disrupting intracellular redox status. GNPIPP12MA increases global m6A RNA modification and decreases the transcript levels in LSCs. GNPIPP12MA augments the efficacy of the PD‐L1 blockade by increasing the infiltration of cytotoxic T cells for enhanced anti‐leukemia immunity.
PDF
