Blocking the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway sensitizes acute myelogenous leukemia cells to lovastatin-induced apoptosis

The statin family of drugs are well-established inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase and are used clinically in the control of hypercholesterolemia. Recent evidence, from ourselves and others, shows that statins can also trigger tumor-specific apoptosis by blocking protein geranylgeranylation. We and others have proposed that statins disrupt localization and function of geranylgeranylated proteins responsible for activating signal transduction pathways essential for the growth and/or survival of transformed cells. To explore this further, we have investigated whether the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades play a role in regulating statin-induced apoptosis. Cells derived from acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) are used as our model system. We show that p38 and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase/stress-activated kinase MAPK pathways are not altered during lovastatin-induced apoptosis. By contrast, exposure of primary and established AML cells to statins results in significant disruption of basal extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation. Addition of geranylgeranyl PPi reverses statin-induced loss of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and apoptosis. By establishing and evaluating the inducible Raf-1:ER system in AML cells, we show that constitutive activation of the Raf/MAPK kinase (MEK)/ERK pathway significantly represses but does not completely block lovastatin-induced apoptosis. Our results strongly suggest statins trigger apoptosis by regulating several signaling pathways, including the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. Indeed, down-regulation of the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway potentiates statin-induced apoptosis because exposure to the MEK1 inhibitor PD98059 sensitizes AML cells to low, physiologically achievable concentrations of lovastatin. Our study suggests that lovastatin, alone or in combination with a MEK1 inhibitor, may represent a new and immediately available therapeutic approach to combat tumors with activated ERK1/2, such as AML.     

和厚朴酚诱导人急性髓性白血病 KG1a细胞凋亡

目的:探讨和厚朴酚(honokiol,HNK)对人急性髓性白血病KG1a细胞凋亡的影响及其可能的机制。方法:XTT法检测不同质量浓度HNK对KG1a细胞增殖的影响,流式细胞术检测不同质量浓度HNK作用后KG1a细胞的细胞周期及凋亡,RT-PCR法检测KG1a细胞Bcl-2、Bid、Bax、Bak、Bad、P53、NF-κB等凋亡相关基因的表达。结果:HNK(2.5、5、8、10、15、20、40μg/ml)对KG1a细胞的增殖有明显抑制作用,且呈时间和剂量依赖性(P<0.01),其中24、48 h的半数抑制浓度(IC50)分别为10.23、8.25μg/ml。流式细胞术结果显示,经HNK(5、10μg/ml)处理后,KG1a细胞被阻滞在G0/G1期,早期凋亡率分别为(11.16±1.27)%和(21.46±3.13)%,显著高于对照组的(6.03±1.10)%(P<0.01)。RT-PCR检测结果显示,HNK(10μg/ml)处理后KG1a细胞内促凋亡基因Bax表达显著上调,Bad轻度上调;抗凋亡基因NF-κB表达显著下调。结论:HNK能诱导人急性髓性白血病KG1a细胞凋亡,其机制可能与Bax、Bad基因表达上调及NF-κB基因表达下调有关。     

Cleavage of Bcl-2 is an early event in chemotherapy-induced apoptosis of human myeloid leukemia cells.

The proto-oncogene product Bcl-2 protects a wide variety of cell types from apoptosis via a hitherto unknown mechanism. Bcl-2 has been shown to function upstream of the death proteases (caspases) in some, but not all, occurrences of apoptotic cell death. Using the myeloid leukemic cell line P39 we report the chemotherapy-induced caspase-dependent cleavage of endogenous Bcl-2. Etoposide treatment of these cells triggered a time-dependent activation of type II and type III caspases and cleavage of Bcl-2 yielding a 23 kDa cleavage fragment. The emergence of this cleavage product was blocked by the general caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk, as well as the type III caspase inhibitor IETD-fmk and the caspase-9-selective inhibitor LEHD-fmk, while the type II caspase inhibitor DEVD-fmk proved considerably less efficient. Bcl-2 cleavage preceded cleavage of the known caspase-3 substrate, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), as well as that of the caspase-6 substrate, lamin B, indicating that Bcl-2 cleavage is a relatively early event in the apoptosis cascade in this experimental model. While evidence for cleavage of Bcl-2 in several subcellular compartments of etoposide-treated cells was obtained, this cleavage was detected predominantly in the mitochondrial fraction, thus providing further support for the central role of mitochondria in apoptosis. Caspase-mediated cleavage following etoposide treatment of these myeloid leukemic cells may represent a means for the attenuation of Bcl-2 function upon apoptosis induction.     

Mechanism of lovastatin-induced apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells

We earlier showed that lovastatin potentiated the chemopreventive effects of sulindac against colon neoplasia in a rodent model and augments apoptosis induced by 5-FU and cisplatin in human colon cancer cells. In the present study, we investigated effects of lovastatin in spontaneously immortalized rat intestinal epithelial cells, IEC-18 and their K-ras transformed clones. Lovastatin induced morphologic changes (cell rounding and detachment) and apoptosis that were not influenced by K-ras mutations, but were prevented by geranylgeranyl-pyrophosphate or by mevalonate. Clostridium difficile toxin B, which directly inactivates rho, induced similar morphologic changes and apoptosis. Cycloheximide prevented these effects of lovastatin, but not C. difficile toxin B. Lovastatin decreased the amounts of membrane bound rhoA and rhoB. Cycloheximide and geranylgeranyl-pyrophosphate prevented lovastatin induced morphologic changes and apoptosis but did not inhibit lovastatin-induced changes in membrane translocation of rho. Our data suggest that lovastatin induces morphologic changes and apoptosis by inhibiting geranylgeranylation of small GTPases of the rho family and thereby inactivating them. Restoration of membrane translocation of rho is not necessary for preventing lovastatin-induced morphologic changes or apoptosis.     

范可尼贫血蛋白与急性髓系白血病

范可尼贫血(FA)是一种罕见的常染色体隐性遗传性疾病,表现为进行性骨髓衰竭、先天性骨骼畸形和易患癌症等.FA患者细胞染色体自发不稳定,并对DNA交联剂如丝裂霉素C(MMC)高度敏感.因FA常发展成急性髓系白血病(AML),被认为是白血病前状态.目前已发现11种FA基因,通过共同的机制在维持细胞基因组稳定性中发挥作用.FANCF蛋白作为一种灵活的衔接蛋自在FA蛋白复合物正确组装形成过程中发挥着重要作用,它的形成使FANCD2蛋白单一泛素化,泛素化FANCD2蛋白导向染色质与乳腺癌抑制蛋白(BRCA1)相瓦作用,修复DNA损伤.FA基因缺陷将导致基因组不稳、染色体断裂的发生率增高,经过遗传损伤的积累最终导致AML及骨髓增生异常综合征(MDS)的发生.     

范可尼贫血蛋白与急性髓系白血病

范可尼贫血(FA)是一种罕见的常染色体隐性遗传性疾病,表现为进行性骨髓衰竭、先天性骨骼畸形和易患癌症等.FA患者细胞染色体自发不稳定,并对DNA交联剂如丝裂霉素C(MMC)高度敏感.因FA常发展成急性髓系白血病(AML),被认为是白血病前状态.目前已发现11种FA基因,通过共同的机制在维持细胞基因组稳定性中发挥作用.FANCF蛋白作为一种灵活的衔接蛋自在FA蛋白复合物正确组装形成过程中发挥着重要作用,它的形成使FANCD2蛋白单一泛素化,泛素化FANCD2蛋白导向染色质与乳腺癌抑制蛋白(BRCA1)相瓦作用,修复DNA损伤.FA基因缺陷将导致基因组不稳、染色体断裂的发生率增高,经过遗传损伤的积累最终导致AML及骨髓增生异常综合征(MDS)的发生.     

范可尼贫血蛋白与急性髓系白血病

范可尼贫血(FA)是一种罕见的常染色体隐性遗传性疾病,表现为进行性骨髓衰竭、先天性骨骼畸形和易患癌症等.FA患者细胞染色体自发不稳定,并对DNA交联剂如丝裂霉素C(MMC)高度敏感.因FA常发展成急性髓系白血病(AML),被认为是白血病前状态.目前已发现11种FA基因,通过共同的机制在维持细胞基因组稳定性中发挥作用.FANCF蛋白作为一种灵活的衔接蛋自在FA蛋白复合物正确组装形成过程中发挥着重要作用,它的形成使FANCD2蛋白单一泛素化,泛素化FANCD2蛋白导向染色质与乳腺癌抑制蛋白(BRCA1)相瓦作用,修复DNA损伤.FA基因缺陷将导致基因组不稳、染色体断裂的发生率增高,经过遗传损伤的积累最终导致AML及骨髓增生异常综合征(MDS)的发生.     

范可尼贫血蛋白与急性髓系白血病

范可尼贫血(FA)是一种罕见的常染色体隐性遗传性疾病,表现为进行性骨髓衰竭、先天性骨骼畸形和易患癌症等.FA患者细胞染色体自发不稳定,并对DNA交联剂如丝裂霉素C(MMC)高度敏感.因FA常发展成急性髓系白血病(AML),被认为是白血病前状态.目前已发现11种FA基因,通过共同的机制在维持细胞基因组稳定性中发挥作用.FANCF蛋白作为一种灵活的衔接蛋自在FA蛋白复合物正确组装形成过程中发挥着重要作用,它的形成使FANCD2蛋白单一泛素化,泛素化FANCD2蛋白导向染色质与乳腺癌抑制蛋白(BRCA1)相瓦作用,修复DNA损伤.FA基因缺陷将导致基因组不稳、染色体断裂的发生率增高,经过遗传损伤的积累最终导致AML及骨髓增生异常综合征(MDS)的发生.     

范可尼贫血蛋白与急性髓系白血病

范可尼贫血(FA)是一种罕见的常染色体隐性遗传性疾病,表现为进行性骨髓衰竭、先天性骨骼畸形和易患癌症等.FA患者细胞染色体自发不稳定,并对DNA交联剂如丝裂霉素C(MMC)高度敏感.因FA常发展成急性髓系白血病(AML),被认为是白血病前状态.目前已发现11种FA基因,通过共同的机制在维持细胞基因组稳定性中发挥作用.FANCF蛋白作为一种灵活的衔接蛋自在FA蛋白复合物正确组装形成过程中发挥着重要作用,它的形成使FANCD2蛋白单一泛素化,泛素化FANCD2蛋白导向染色质与乳腺癌抑制蛋白(BRCA1)相瓦作用,修复DNA损伤.FA基因缺陷将导致基因组不稳、染色体断裂的发生率增高,经过遗传损伤的积累最终导致AML及骨髓增生异常综合征(MDS)的发生.     

范可尼贫血蛋白与急性髓系白血病

范可尼贫血(FA)是一种罕见的常染色体隐性遗传性疾病,表现为进行性骨髓衰竭、先天性骨骼畸形和易患癌症等.FA患者细胞染色体自发不稳定,并对DNA交联剂如丝裂霉素C(MMC)高度敏感.因FA常发展成急性髓系白血病(AML),被认为是白血病前状态.目前已发现11种FA基因,通过共同的机制在维持细胞基因组稳定性中发挥作用.FANCF蛋白作为一种灵活的衔接蛋自在FA蛋白复合物正确组装形成过程中发挥着重要作用,它的形成使FANCD2蛋白单一泛素化,泛素化FANCD2蛋白导向染色质与乳腺癌抑制蛋白(BRCA1)相瓦作用,修复DNA损伤.FA基因缺陷将导致基因组不稳、染色体断裂的发生率增高,经过遗传损伤的积累最终导致AML及骨髓增生异常综合征(MDS)的发生.     

范可尼贫血蛋白与急性髓系白血病

 范可尼贫血（FA）是一种罕见的常染色体隐性遗传性疾病,表现为进行性骨髓衰竭、先天性骨骼畸形和易患癌症等。FA患者细胞染色体自发不稳定,并对DNA交联剂如丝裂霉素C（MMC）高度敏感。因FA常发展成急性髓系白血病（AML）, 被认为是白血病前状态。目前已发现11种FA基因,通过共同的机制在维持细胞基因组稳定性中发挥作用。FANCF蛋白作为一种灵活的衔接蛋白在FA蛋白复合物正确组装形成过程中发挥着重要作用,它的形成使FANCD2 蛋白单一泛素化,泛素化FANCD2蛋白导向染色质与乳腺癌抑制蛋白（BRCA1）相互作用,修复DNA 损伤。FA基因缺陷将导致基因组不稳、染色体断裂的发生率增高,经过遗传损伤的积累最终导致AML及骨髓增生异常综合征（MDS）的发生。     

范可尼贫血蛋白与急性髓系白血病

范可尼贫血(FA)是一种罕见的常染色体隐性遗传性疾病,表现为进行性骨髓衰竭、先天性骨骼畸形和易患癌症等.FA患者细胞染色体自发不稳定,并对DNA交联剂如丝裂霉素C(MMC)高度敏感.因FA常发展成急性髓系白血病(AML),被认为是白血病前状态.目前已发现11种FA基因,通过共同的机制在维持细胞基因组稳定性中发挥作用.FANCF蛋白作为一种灵活的衔接蛋自在FA蛋白复合物正确组装形成过程中发挥着重要作用,它的形成使FANCD2蛋白单一泛素化,泛素化FANCD2蛋白导向染色质与乳腺癌抑制蛋白(BRCA1)相瓦作用,修复DNA损伤.FA基因缺陷将导致基因组不稳、染色体断裂的发生率增高,经过遗传损伤的积累最终导致AML及骨髓增生异常综合征(MDS)的发生.     

范可尼贫血蛋白与急性髓系白血病

范可尼贫血(FA)是一种罕见的常染色体隐性遗传性疾病,表现为进行性骨髓衰竭、先天性骨骼畸形和易患癌症等.FA患者细胞染色体自发不稳定,并对DNA交联剂如丝裂霉素C(MMC)高度敏感.因FA常发展成急性髓系白血病(AML),被认为是白血病前状态.目前已发现11种FA基因,通过共同的机制在维持细胞基因组稳定性中发挥作用.FANCF蛋白作为一种灵活的衔接蛋自在FA蛋白复合物正确组装形成过程中发挥着重要作用,它的形成使FANCD2蛋白单一泛素化,泛素化FANCD2蛋白导向染色质与乳腺癌抑制蛋白(BRCA1)相瓦作用,修复DNA损伤.FA基因缺陷将导致基因组不稳、染色体断裂的发生率增高,经过遗传损伤的积累最终导致AML及骨髓增生异常综合征(MDS)的发生.     

Monoclonal antibody therapy directed against human acute myeloid leukemia stem cells

Accumulating evidence indicates that many human cancers are organized as a cellular hierarchy initiated and maintained by self-renewing cancer stem cells. This cancer stem cell model has been most conclusively established for human acute myeloid leukemia (AML), although controversies still exist regarding the identity of human AML stem cells (leukemia stem cell (LSC)). A major implication of this model is that, in order to eradicate the cancer and cure the patient, the cancer stem cells must be eliminated. Monoclonal antibodies have emerged as effective targeted therapies for the treatment of a number of human malignancies and, given their target antigen specificity and generally minimal toxicity, are well positioned as cancer stem cell-targeting therapies. One strategy for the development of monoclonal antibodies targeting human AML stem cells involves first identifying cell surface antigens preferentially expressed on AML LSC compared with normal hematopoietic stem cells. In recent years, a number of such antigens have been identified, including CD123, CD44, CLL-1, CD96, CD47, CD32, and CD25. Moreover, monoclonal antibodies targeting CD44, CD123, and CD47 have demonstrated efficacy against AML LSC in xenotransplantation models. Hopefully, these antibodies will ultimately prove to be effective in the treatment of human AML.     

Reduced-intensity conditioning for acute myeloid leukemia: is this strategy correct.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) using reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) is based on the strategy of attaining donor cell engraftment with immunosuppressive agents. This approach, which relies predominantly on donor effector cells for anti-leukemic or graft-versus-leukemia effect, is being used with increased frequency. Treatment-related mortality appears less with RIC than that observed with conventional myeloablative regimens. Available data support the fact that a myeloablative regimen is not required for successful engraftment and some patients appear to be cured of their disease. Despite the plethora of clinical reports, however, no prospective studies have been conducted that establish this procedure as the preferred option in AML. On the other hand, patients formerly excluded from a myeloablative procedure such as the 'elderly' and those with significant comorbid conditions, often may be RIC transplant candidates. By using prospective controlled clinical trials, we will determine whether these encouraging RIC data are applicable to a nonselect population of AML. The transplant community now is poised to design and complete investigations to ascertain the true role of RIC in the treatment of AML.