OTS167 blocks FLT3 translation and synergizes with FLT3 inhibitors in FLT3 mutant acute myeloid leukemia |
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| Authors: | Bartholomew J. Eisfelder Caner Saygin Joseph Wynne Margaret W. Colton Mariafausta Fischietti Elspeth M. Beauchamp Jason X. Cheng Olatoyosi Odenike Gail Roboz Houda Alachkar Wendy Stock |
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| Affiliation: | 1.Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL USA ;2.Department of Hematology/Oncology, Robert H Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA ;3.Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL USA ;4.Weill Cornell Medicine, The New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY USA ;5.Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA |
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| Abstract: | Internal tandem duplication (-ITD) mutations of Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) provide growth and pro-survival signals in the context of established driver mutations in FLT3 mutant acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is an aberrantly expressed gene identified as a target in AML. The MELK inhibitor OTS167 induces cell death in AML including cells with FLT3 mutations, yet the role of MELK and mechanisms of OTS167 function are not understood. OTS167 alone or in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) were used to investigate the effect of OTS167 on FLT3 signaling and expression in human FLT3 mutant AML cell lines and primary cells. We describe a mechanism whereby OTS167 blocks FLT3 expression by blocking FLT3 translation and inhibiting phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E–binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4B (eIF4B). OTS167 in combination with TKIs results in synergistic induction of FLT3 mutant cell death in FLT3 mutant cell lines and prolonged survival in a FLT3 mutant AML xenograft mouse model. Our findings suggest signaling through MELK is necessary for the translation and expression of FLT3-ITD, and blocking MELK with OTS167 represents a viable therapeutic strategy for patients with FLT3 mutant AML.Subject terms: Acute myeloid leukaemia, Cell signalling |
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